The Legend of Emrys: Thief of the Darkling Woods
by j3swimmer
Summary: Thief!Merlin Robin Hood-esque merthur romance. Merlin is a thief who steals from Uther's vaults to feed the poor of Camelot. Arthur is supposed to capture him, but can't help thinking that he's on the wrong side. Romance, drama, adventures, BAMF!Merlin, Merlin whump and a Morgana who actually gets the help she needs. (summary by starwater13 and cover art from pagebeater's deviant)
1. Chapter 1: Dreams and Magic

**AN: Hello! So, the plan was to wait till I was done with Mirror Mirror to post this, but I couldn't contain it any longer, so here it is! My Thief!Merlin fic.**

**PLEASE READ FIRST! Some backstory to this AU: After the Purge begins, Uther decided that the High Priestesses were a greater threat than any remaining dragon lords, so he focused on getting rid of them first. This took about three years, ending in the death of Nimueh on the Isle of the Blessed. When they were all killed he switched targets surreptitiously, seeking out the dragon lords who had escaped him. It took him two years to find out Balinor was hiding in Ealdor, and when he did he not only killed Balinor, but destroyed the entire town, the only survivor being Merlin, who had escaped as he had been practicing magic in the forest with his father outside town when the fire started. Balinor went back for Hunith, and ended up dying himself. Merlin was found a few days later by the Druids, but I will talk about that and a few other character's backstory in the actual fic.**

**Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy! I had a great time writing this. I absolutely love this type of AU, so I thought I would give it a try ;) Just a few warnings up here as well. There will be a little whump in this fic, and this will be a Merthur fic. If either of those things bother you, you might want to turn away now. Sorry.**

**And I do not own Merlin. It would be strange if the actual owners of Merlin wrote fanfiction...**

Chapter One: Dreams and Magic

Arthur felt stupid. He was in pain as well, but at the moment his shame was blocking out pretty much everything else. He had finally escaped the knights assigned to accompany him on the hunt, and he had managed to promptly fall off a ledge. When he hit the ground below, he heard a sharp snap. He was almost certain that had been his leg and that it must be broken as he couldn't really stand without being in extreme pain. His father would never let him out of the castle again. This was officially the end of his eleven year old life. Of course that wasn't enough, though. Someone seemed to really have it out for him as the brushes began to rustle and a beast that looked a lot like a scorpion except for the fact that it was nearly twice as large as he was crept towards him.

Arthur screamed. It was a very manly scream of course, but a scream none the less. He really hoped the knights were close enough to save him, even if it meant spending the rest of his life locked in his chambers.

Unfortunately, his knights weren't close enough to get to him in time. Fortunately, someone else was. The creature had been about to stab him with its horrid tail when a small figure jumped from the forest and blew the beast into a tree with a wave of his hand. This apparently wasn't enough to get rid of the monster as it returned, focusing its attack on the larger threat, the tiny black haired boy. Arthur would have slapped his forehead if he wasn't frozen in fear for that last thought, but he quickly got over himself and watched as the boy said some nonsense words and a burst of flames flew from his outstretched palm and succeeded in scaring the monster away. The boy then turned to Arthur and asked, "Are you alright, friend?"

This pulled Arthur from his trance as he scooted back from the hand the boy had offered, saying "I'm not friends with sorcerers."

"I'm not a sorcerer." the boy said, looking quite offended by Arthur's behavior.

"I saw you use magic! You can't hide it from me!" Arthur said to the boy. He was slightly ridiculous looking. He was definitely younger than Arthur, and he looked to be made of sticks instead of big manly muscles like Arthur, his father, and all the knights were. His eyes were blue and looked very large on his small frame, but they were nothing compared to his huge ears. They stuck off from the side of his head like saucers, which explained how he had heard Arthur's cry, he probably could hear for miles around with ears like that. He looked quite proud as he said, "I'm not a sorcerer, I'm a warlock. Iseldir says I'm special."

"I don't care what you call yourself, you still have magic, and magic is evil. My father told me so. If you leave now I will spare your life, but if I catch you doing magic again I won't hesitate to kill you."

"You prat!" the boy shouted, "I just saved your life and that's how you repay me? Maybe not killing me for now?"

"Well, it's your fault. You learned magic. That's against the rules." Arthur argued.

"I didn't learn magic." the boy said quietly, kneeling in front of Arthur so they were at eye level with each other. "I was born with it. And I'm not evil." he finished, crossing his arms angrily.

"You were born with magic?" Arthur asked confused. His father said only bad people learned magic. Could someone be born bad? This little boy didn't seem evil; he had saved Arthur's life by plunging into danger when he didn't even know who Arthur was.

"Yeah. Like I said, I'm special." the boy said proudly. "And magic isn't evil. Iseldir knows lots of it and he's like the nicest guy I know. He saved me when my parents died."

As the boy spoke he had crept closer to Arthur, and was looking at his leg curiously. Arthur watched nervously as he extended his hand and mumbled some more nonsense over Arthur's injured leg. Arthur would have moved, he really would have, if the thought of motion didn't make him slightly queasy. Whatever the boy had done definitely didn't seem evil as he felt a comforting warmth encircle his leg and the pain began to fade.

"What did you do to me?" Arthur asked as the warmth dissipated but the pain did not return.

"What does it look like, prat? I fixed your leg." the boy said.

"Stop calling me that!" Arthur said, standing up at last. Now he could use his full height to intimidate the boy.

"I don't know your name, and I think prat suits you quite well, so prat it is." the boy said happily, as if it made all the sense in the world.

"You can't speak to me like that. I'm the prince of Camelot." Arthur said, trying to look like his father did when speaking to the people. This apparently was the wrong thing to say as something dark passed over the boy's face and he backed away from Arthur.

"King Uther is your father?" the boy said, his voice barely more than a whisper. For the first time in his life, Arthur wished he could say no. He nodded silently, wondering if the boy would attack him. The boy was glaring at him with a hateful expression when he had looked so happy before. Arthur wondered if he would have still saved his life had he known who he was.

"Your father is the reason my parents are dead." the boy said, his voice still quiet.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said reaching a hand out to comfort the boy. He took it as a good sign that the boy didn't flinch away from his hand. "I'm sure it was an accident. My father only kills people who break the rules."

The boy looked up at Arthur, his eyes narrowed. "How can an entire village break the rules? My parents were good people. They weren't hurting anyone. That didn't stop the knights from burning down the town we lived in, without giving any of the people a chance to save themselves. Maybe there should be a rule against that."

Arthur was startled by the coldness of the boy's eyes. He had looked so happy and carefree before this, but now he looked old, older than Arthur. Older than the knights who had been sent out to watch him. And Arthur couldn't help but agree with him. Would his father really have destroyed an entire town in his fight against magic?

"I didn't know. I'm sorry. I never knew my mother. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." As Arthur finished, he pulled the boy into a slightly awkward hug. He had only seen hugs happen, but they always looked like they helped. When he released the boy, he looked slightly happier which made Arthur fell slightly less awful. The part of his mind that sounded a whole lot like his father and was telling him that he definitely shouldn't be hugging a magic user was squashed by the good feeling he got from removing even a small bit of pain from this young boy's eyes. He was trying to think of anything else comforting to say when he heard people shouting out his name from the forest above them. The voices were getting closer, so he turned to the boy and said, "You have to leave. The knights will come looking for me. I don't want them to hurt you."

The boy nodded and turned to head back into the woods. Just before he reached the cover of the trees, Arthur realized something and called out, "Wait! I don't even know your name!"

The boy turned back and opened his mouth to respond and...

Arthur woke up. It had been ages since he had dreamed of his encounter with the black-haired boy in the woods. He always woke just before the boy told him his name. He was certain that he had said his name, but it was lost to the recesses of his memories. Unless he had made the whole thing up, which he doubted very much as he also remembered being locked in the castle for what had felt like an eternity to his child's mind after he had snuck away from the knights.

It was appropriate the young warlock had haunted his dreams last night. Today was the beginning of the celebration of his father "saving the land from the evils of magic" as the king put it. It would start with the death of a convicted sorcerer this afternoon. Arthur didn't really know how well his father had saved the land. The people were suffering; even from his fancy castle chambers he could see that. They had begun to rally behind a magic user named Emrys who was currently infuriating the king. He had broken into the coiffures of Camelot three times now, taking most of the gold and only leaving notes explaining how "Uther had taken more than his share" and that "the gold would be given to those who truly needed it."

He had been spotted a grand total of twice, and both those times he had been wearing a cloak so his identity was unknown. He seemed to have a couple of associates helping him out, as an unfortunate tax collector had learned on one occasion. He had been jumped on his way to the castle and his entire months work had been taken from him, leaving him with only a message from the thief and slightly soiled trousers. Instead of responding to the messages by accepting Emrys' terms and taking less, Uther had increased taxes tenfold, saying it was repayment for the amounts stolen. Arthur had been put in charge of catching said thief which was proving rather troublesome as the man was like smoke. He left absolutely no trace besides the notes, and no one had any idea of who he was or even what he looked like. There were rumors he was an incredibly old man and others that he was in fact a she, a beautiful woman who had seduced her way into the castle. The only clue they had was the name Emrys, who was apparently a character from Druid legends who was supposed to unite the lands of Albion under the Once and Future King. He also was supposedly the most powerful sorcerer of all time. So, either this man was trying to frighten them or was incredibly full of himself and genuinely thought he was this Emrys of legend. Whichever it was, it didn't really provide any clue besides possible Druid ties, but no one had seen Druids around Camelot for around seven years, which ruled that out. So, Arthur had nothing. No clues, no hints, only rumors that got wilder and wilder as time went on.

Arthur was about to get out of bed and look through all his notes on Emrys again when there was a light tapping on his door. He mumbled "Come in." and the door opened, letting his newest manservant enter. For some reason he couldn't seem to find a servant who would stay in his service for more than a couple weeks. His father was starting to get quite frustrated, threatening to leave him servant-less if he couldn't keep one for at least a couple of months. So, he put up with Geoffrey or Gregory or whatever his newest servant's name was. It definitely started with a G, he was sure of that. And in his defense, he had only had him for about two days now. He did all his work perfectly, Arthur couldn't fault him on that, but he was incredibly dull. And the way he acted around him, like it was an honor to simply be in his presence, was a bit annoying. Morgana was so lucky to have Guinevere, the two were practically inseparable.

"Good morning Sire" his manservant said with a bow, "I have brought you all your favorites for breakfast. The king would like me to remind you that your presence is required at the execution today, he would like you there in full armor to represent the knights of Camelot."

Arthur sighed and tried not to wonder how this new servant already knew what his favorite foods were.

"Thank you..." Arthur said trailing of at the forgotten name.

"George, Sire." George supplied.

"George, yes, I knew that." Arthur said, stumbling out of bed and over to the food laden table. "I think I will go down to train with the knights this morning, I will need you to fetch me at midday for lunch and to prepare for the celebration."

"Of course, Sire." George said as he pulled Arthur's clothes from the dresser. Arthur hoped that the training would get his mind off mysterious thieves and black haired warlocks before he had to see his father.

* * *

It was so hot. Arthur wondered why his father had decided that this celebration needed to happen in the middle of the summer. He also really wanted to know how Morgana had gotten out of this. If he was forced to bake in the sun all the day she should have to join him. A sizable crowd had gathered around the small platform that had been built to execute the sorcerer, a man named Thomas Collins. He had been caught using magic to fix a broken cart, and was now going to be killed for it. Arthur thought about what the boy from the woods had said about magic not being evil when Thomas was dragged up to the platform. He didn't look evil, just tired. And it wasn't like he was using his magic to hurt anyone, but his father had always taught him that magic was evil no matter what form it took and there had been attacks from sorcerers in the past. Arthur listened as his father gave a short speech about how magic corrupted and so on before raising his hand dropping it to tell the executioner it was time. As his hand lowered, someone from the crowd shouted "STOP!" and there was a flash of light. The executioner did not stop, but instead of chopping Thomas' head off, the axe burst into a flurry of feathers, leaving Thomas Collins completely unharmed. Arthur searched the crowd, trying to figure out who had stopped the execution, but all the townspeople looked just as confused as he did. He heard his father shout, "Guards! Catch the sorcerer!" as the people below tried to figure out what was going on. The befuddled guards sprang into action, two of them grabbing Thomas Collins and looking quite proud of himself until Uther shouted, "Not him, you imbeciles! The other sorcerer!"

This proclamation caused someone in the crowd to start laughing. Uther looked enraged, his face turning a terrible shade of puce as the crowd parted around the laughing person, revealing a figure in a dark cloak. Arthur wondered how he hadn't noticed the figure before as Uther screamed, "Seize him!"

The guards moved, scrambling through the crowds to attempt to reach the laughing man. As they moved towards him, he stopped laughing, and pointed his hand towards the ground. Suddenly all the guards stopped moving, and started sinking into the ground. As suddenly as the sinking had started it stopped, freezing each of the men up to their ankles in stone and the cloaked figure walked up past the struggling guards to the execution block unhindered. The crowds parted around him, watching with awe as he helped Thomas Collins to his feet and asked him, "Are you alright, Master Collins?"

Thomas Collins looked completely stunned by this sudden chain of events, but managed to nod to the man before he continued, saying "My name is Emrys, and I would like to take you somewhere safe, if you wish to come with me."

There was a gasp throughout the courtyard as the man revealed his identity. Arthur was leaning as far as he could off the banisters to get a better look at the man he had been trying to catch for the past couple of weeks while his father looked as if he could spit flames, he was so angry. Emrys seemed to be completely ignoring his father, which was something Uther definitely wasn't used to. "Neither of you are going anywhere!" Uther yelled, causing Emrys to look towards them briefly and wave his hand, causing Arthur to feel his legs freeze in place before returning his attention back to Thomas Collins and saying, "I can take you to a small village where magic is not feared but celebrated. I grew up there. The people are kind, and will help you set up a new life if that is what you wish. Or I could help you leave this kingdom if you prefer, I just don't believe anyone should be prosecuted for who they are."

He then turned his head back up towards Arthur and his father. Even though his face was hidden, Arthur could tell he was glaring at them. Arthur cringed slightly until Thomas spoke; causing Emrys to turn his head back towards the convicted sorcerer. "I can't leave my mother, Mary." Arthur heard the man mumbled.

"Of course not." Emrys replied. "She could come as well, if she wants."

Thomas nodded at Emrys, and he turned to the crowd saying, "Could Madame Collins please come forward? I would like to speak with you."

The crowd parted again as an elderly woman walked up to the platform, taking Emrys' hand to help pull her up. His skin was incredibly pale as it grasped her withered brown hand. Once she was on the platform she rushed forward to hug her son. Emrys let them embrace for a moment before saying, "I need you two to decide where you want to go. I believe Madame Collins has a device that may help with our get away if she permits me to use it. I need to speak with Uther briefly before we leave."

The mother and son pair nodded and began to whisper to each other as Emrys turned back towards the balcony saying, "Uther Pendragon, you ignored my letters. You cannot continue to steal from the people as you do."

"You cannot speak to me like that, you sorcerer-filth, I am your king!" Uther shouted. Arthur almost slapped his forehead at the ridiculousness of that statement. This man had broken almost all of Camelot's laws and his father expected him to address the royalty properly?

"I will not call you my king until you prove yourself worthy of the title. You murder innocents because of some ridiculous grudge against magic and your people starve as you bathe in their wealth up in your castle, spending your time finding more and more people to kill for crimes they did not commit. When you serve your people and prove yourself worthy of the throne, I will call you king."

"It is you and the other magic scum that have polluted his kingdom. I simply seek to save it. I swear I will make you pay for your crimes."

"And I swear, Uther Pendragon; that you will pay for yours." Emrys replied enigmatically. With that, Emrys turned away from the balcony and back the Collins family, saying, "I believe I am ready to go, have you made a decision?"

Thomas nodded and said, "We would like to go to the small village you spoke of, if you would take us there."

"Of course." Emrys replied. "Now, Madame Collins, if I could see that amulet you have?"

The old woman reached around her neck and pulled of a necklace with a yellow stone on the end and handed it to Emrys, who took it from her and said, "Thank you. If you would both grab my arms I will take you there."

The pair each held and arm as he said "The spells I cast will break once we are gone, except for the axe. That's not coming back." then with a few words the trio on the platform were surrounded with a rushing wind and vanished.


	2. Chapter 2: Chasing Emrys

**AN: Hello! I was going to wait a bit longer to post this, but then people were awesome and I couldn't wait, so here it is, chapter two!**

**Before we get started I wanted to clear up a couple of things. Yes, I did start this with the same execution that starts the first episode, but this will not be a fic that follows the series while changing one little thing. There will definitely be some hints at that, but I wanted to make this my own thing as well. Some events are moved around, some are completely removed, and quite a few are of my own creating. I hope this doesn't drive too many people away, I think that this could still hold it's own, even though it may not be what was expected after chapter one. Sorry to anyone I disappointed.**

**I got asked a couple of questions in the reviews, and I would answer them here but I sort of think that this chapter may hold the answers to some of them, so I'm going to wait. If anything is still unclear please message me and I will try to explain (except for Merlin's friends backstories, those are coming, I promise! Two of them are in the next chapter, and the other is in chapter six. So they are coming, I promise)**

**Anyhoo, thanks for all the lovely lovely attention! I hope everyone can get a slightly better idea of what kind of story this is going to be after this chapter, and chapter three is slightly more fun, in my opinion... I hope you can see why it might be... It will go up soon if I get the same kind of response to this chapter as I did to the first one ;)**

**And I don't own Merlin. I can't even spell Iseldir' name so that should be pretty obvious...**

Chapter Two: Chasing Emrys

Merlin stumbled slightly as his feet reconnected with the ground. He never really liked transportation spells. They were tricky, and required intense focus and some type of magical artifact to keep you from falling apart in the journey. He turned to the two who had come with him, asking "Are you alright?"

He paused, waiting for them both to brush themselves off and nod before he pulled back his hood and continued, "We're close to the village I spoke of, but I need you to promise me something before we enter. Most of the people living here are Druids. They are a very peaceful people. I don't expect you to adopt all of their beliefs, but I do expect you to honor their ways. Like I said, I grew up here; these people are family to me. I need you to promise me that you will not harm them or ever report their location to anyone who would seek to destroy them. Do you understand?"

Thomas and Mary nodded and Thomas said, "I owe you my life. I promise I would never do anything to harm you or your family."

Mary grabbed Merlin's hand and said, "You saved my son's life. Nothing I could ever do would repay that. I swear I will never do anything to wrong you."

"Thank you, now follow me, it won't be long before we get there." Merlin said, smiling at them both before turning in the direction he knew the camp lay. They followed as he pushed through the bushes and trees that had grown thick around the village, protecting the people who lived there from prying eyes. Merlin remembered climbing around in these trees as a child. He had only been four when he was forced to flee his home. He would remain forever in debt to Iseldir and the Druids who had found him. It had taken him a while to fully accept their hospitality, but they had been patient with him, explaining their views and teaching him how to control and use his magic. He had been happy here, but he had also been restless. He needed to do something to fight the king who had taken everything from him, even if he would honor the Druid beliefs in nonviolence as he did. The Druids had also taught him of his destiny, and he wanted to protect the people who believed in the future he was supposed to create. So, he had left the safety of the village in search of his destiny.

He had spent a few years traveling before he started to steal from Uther, learning everything he could about foreign magics and the beliefs of the people he had met. He hadn't gone alone, a friend of his from the camp, Percival, had gone with him. Percival and his sisters had been found alone in the woods and brought to Druid camp after Merlin had already been living there for a few years. They had both been outsiders and had bonded over that. But Percival had no magic, so when Merlin had been learning spells and such with Iseldir, he had strengthened his body, eventually growing larger than all the men in the camp. They had met others on their travels, and had formed a small troop that all believed Uther was not fit to be king.

As the small shacks and tents of the town came into view, Merlin was greeted by a group of children. He recognized one of them as Percival's niece, Miranda. She was the only one in the group calling him Merlin, the rest were calling him Emrys. He scooped up Miranda, who giggled and asked, "Did you bring me any presents, Uncle Merlin?"

"Not this time, princess." Merlin said with a chuckle. "But I do have something for you."

He then whispered "_Blóstmá_"and a red rose blossomed in his hand. He took the flower and tucked it into her hair before he set her back down with the other children.

"Can you do a trick for us, Emrys?" Elis, the youngest of the group asked. The rest of the children joined in, begging him to do some magic. Merlin smiled at them and said; "Not right now guys, I need to talk to Iseldir."

"Please Emrys, just one quick spell?" Annwyl asked, putting on a spectacular pout. The others joined her, looking up at him with their eyes wide and bottom lips trembling. Merlin couldn't resist that, so he kneeled down saying, "Alright, but only one."

The pouts vanished as they all rushed around him as he reached out a fist. He mumbled a few words and opened his fist, revealing a small glowing blue ball. The eyes of the children widen and Merlin said, "Take it."

They looked a little nervous, but eventually Llyr, the oldest of the group, stepped forward and picked the glowing ball up from Merlin's palm. It glowed more brightly for a moment before dimming and becoming a normal ball they would be able to play with. All the other children reached forward to touch the ball and mutter thank you's before they heard a voice above them.

"Alright children, I think you've bothered Emrys enough. Why don't you go play with your new ball."

The children nodded and ran off back towards the village as Merlin stood up and greeted the newcomer, saying, "It's good to see you Iseldir."

The Druid leader pulled Merlin into a hug saying, "And you, Emrys, it has been too long."

"When will you stop calling me that? All the others follow your example. I want to be called Merlin, you know that."

"You should be proud of your name, Emrys. Not everyone has prophecies written about them. But who are your friends? More enemies of the Pendragons?"

"I suppose you could call them that." Merlin said, turning to glance back at the Collins. "This is Thomas and Mary Collins of Camelot. They need somewhere to stay, and I thought you might be able to take care of them. Thomas and Mary this is Iseldir, leader of this tribe."

"It is good to meet both of you," Iseldir said, extending a hand in greeting. "Here we try to help all those we can. You are more than welcome to stay here if you are willing to adopt our belief in nonviolence towards all others."

Thomas and Mary both nodded. Merlin couldn't help but think they both looked a little overwhelmed by all that had just happened. Iseldir smiled at them and said, "Good." he then turned back towards the village and called a couple of young women over. They all smiled prettily at Merlin before turning their attention to Iseldir and the newcomers. "Camma, Ganna, and Aelwyn will take you to a tent you can stay in until we build you something more permanent. If you need anything, just ask. We will do our best to provide. I need to talk with Emrys for a moment, but I will check in to see how you are doing when we are done."

Thomas and Mary both nodded, and thanked Merlin before following the three young ladies into the village. Once they were out of earshot Iseldir turned back to Merlin and said, "I'm guessing that young man is the one Uther was going to execute today. You must have made quite the spectacle."

"I suppose so," Merlin replied sheepishly. "I just didn't think I could stand and watch as Uther killed any more innocent people. That man was caught fixing a cart, how is that a crime worthy of death?"

"It isn't, but you of all people should understand that Uther is blind when it comes to magic. You've remembered everything I taught you right?"

"I didn't hurt anyone, if that's what you mean. And I don't plan on it either. I have grown since you found me in those woods fifteen years ago. I know killing Uther won't bring my parents back."

Iseldir nodded and said, "You have. I am quite proud of how much you have grown, and I believe your parents would be proud as well."

"Thank you." Merlin said quietly. "You have been like a father to me ever since I lost my own, but I still wonder what he would think of me. His only son, a thief."

"His only son isn't just a thief, he's a hero. You saved that man today, and who knows what could have happened if you didn't. A mother who has lost her son can be a very dangerous thing. You're actions have far greater consequences than you could ever imagine. And as a warlock who uses his powers only for the good of others, you teach the people that Uther's beliefs are wrong. I cannot imagine any parent who wouldn't be proud of all you have done, Emrys."

Merlin smiled at the older Druid. He always seemed to know just what to say to help him find his way. He had comforted him when he cried out for his mother and father, stopped him from trying to seek his revenge on Uther Pendragon, and encouraged him to find his own path instead of spending his whole life in their small village. Merlin sighed and said, "I should probably be heading back to my camp. Who knows what kind of trouble the others will have caused while I was away. Thank you for taking care of those two for me. Is there anything you need? I can bring supplies back after the next raid; I've noticed the camp is growing."

"Thank you Emrys, but I believe we will not need any of your supplies. All our stomachs are full and our beds are warm. Take your profits to the people who really need it. But you should visit more often. The children miss you. And bring Percival as well; it has been too long since he has stopped by."

"I will try my best." Merlin said, walking away from the camp, "Goodbye Iseldir."

"Stay safe, Emrys." The man replied. Merlin pushed his way through the bushes, oriented himself, then headed in the direction of his camp.

His camp wasn't too far from the Druid settlement. It wasn't long before he could hear his friends celebrating something in the camp. It sounded a lot like Gwaine had gotten drunk again, which really shouldn't have surprised him by now. As he reached the small clearing that housed their camp, he was pulled into some type of dance by the inebriated man. They spun around the fire a couple times while Percival and Lancelot laughed before Gwaine fell pulling Merlin with him. Merlin joined the laughter as well, as he pulled Gwaine into a sitting position and asked, "What's happened to put you lot in such a good mood?"

Percival tossed Merlin a sack of gold as Lancelot said, "Uther might be missing a little bit more than a sorcerer's head. We figured we could use your little show as a distraction so we broke into the castle and took this while the guards were busy searching for you."

"That's brilliant!" Merlin cried. "Did you leave a note?"

"Yeah," Gwaine said, "but we had to sign it "Emrys' best mates" seeing as you weren't there."

Merlin laughed as Gwaine shoved him lightly. Percival offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet as he asked, "And how did your show go, Merlin?"

"It went quite well. I think Uther may have turned a new shade of red previously unknown to mankind when I said I was Emrys. Apparently he's not my biggest fan."

"You took the sorcerer to Iseldir, right? How was the village? Did you see my sisters?" Percival asked.

"No," Merlin replied, "But I did see Miranda. She is looking lovely as ever. Iseldir wants you to visit."

"But Percy has to stay here!" Gwaine complained loudly, "Who else will carry me back when I pass out from drinking too much?"

"Maybe you should try not drinking so much." Lancelot suggested.

"But then what would you guys do for entertainment?" Gwaine asked.

"He does have a point; things wouldn't be nearly as crazy without Gwaine making a fool of himself every few minutes." Percival added thoughtfully.

"Exactly." Gwaine said, trying to stand back up but stumbling and falling back onto his bottom. Merlin laughed along with the others before asking, "Do we have any food, I'm famished."

"Only if you say the magic word." Gwaine said in a sing song voice.

"Give me some food or I'll turn you into a toad. How's that for a magic word?" Merlin replied.

"That sounds good to me!" Gwaine said from his position on the ground. "Percy, be a good lad and get Merlin some food."

Percival walked past Gwaine and knocked him lightly on the shoulder. Of course, this was Percival, so the light tap sent Gwaine right back into the dirt. He returned with a bowl full of some type of stew. Merlin dug in, praying that this wasn't another one of Gwaine and Percival's pranks and he wasn't eating rat or whatever other terrible thing they decide to serve him. As he ate Lancelot said, "I was thinking we should try to get that gold delivered tonight. Uther's called for another tax tomorrow, it would be good if we could get the people money before they have to pay it."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Merlin said between bites, "The guards will have been increased after today."

"That's never stopped us before." Percival reasoned. "The people need this money now; it won't do any good sitting around our camp."

"Plus, the guards still don't know what we look like." Gwaine added, suddenly much more sober than he had been a moment ago. "I say we go tonight."

"I suppose you're right. Just be careful, alright? Uther's pissed off, and he shouldn't be taken lightly."

"We know, Merlin." Percival said affectionately. Even though Merlin was the leader of the group, he was the youngest so he often got treated like their little brother. They all knew he was much more powerful than any of them, but they still looked out for him and often, as Percival had just done, would ruffle his hair and give him affectionate pats they wouldn't give each other. Lancelot helped Gwaine up and they headed out of the camp and towards Camelot carrying quite a bit of the king's gold.

* * *

Arthur had been on patrol ever since he had been released from his father's chambers. The king had yelled at him for quite a while, telling him he was failing the kingdom by not being any closer to catching Emrys than they had been when the first letter arrived. Things had only gotten worse when a shaking guard entered the room to let the furious king know that he had been robbed once more. That had been it for Uther, and he had ordered Arthur to get out and bring him Emrys' head before nightfall. Arthur had looked around the courtyard for any clues and questioned anyone he could find about suspicious hooded figures, but he knew it was useless. Emrys was obviously a highly skilled magic user; he would know how to cover his tracks. Arthur was just about to head back to the castle for supper when he heard someone whisper "Thank you, Emrys." from behind him. He froze. He didn't want to give away his identity to the person who had mentioned the thief's name, so he tried to look casual as he turned slowly and looked down the street he had been walking down. Sure enough, about twenty paces away, a figure in a dark cloak was standing talking to a skinny woman who had two small children clinging to her knees. Arthur walked by them slowly, hoping to pick up on anything else they said. He needed proof that this was the man he had been searching for before he brought the wrong person to his father and ended up in even more trouble than he was in now. Unfortunately, nothing they said as he passed gave him any clues, so he decided to follow the cloaked figure and see if he revealed his identity, or if he possibly led him to his prey.

The person made quite a few more stops before exiting Camelot. At each house he would hand over a small bag to the people waiting inside, mostly families and elderly couples. Nothing he did screamed Emrys, so Arthur had no other options besides to keep following him. It didn't seem like the man had noticed his presence, which was one good thing. When he left the city Arthur wondered if he should call for backup, but realized in the time that would take he would lose the first real lead he had gotten since he had begun searching for the thief. So he followed the man out into the forest, ducking behind trees every time he turned his head. Arthur figured they must be nearing the man's destination as he began to slow and removed his hood. Arthur put a hand on his sword's hilt as he followed the dark haired man wearing the cloak. He felt his excitement building, his father would finally be proud of him! He would bring him the thief he wanted so badly, and he would have to congratulate him! Arthur was so lost in his fantasies that he didn't hear anything as another cloaked figure sprang from the trees behind him and yanked his hands behind his back. So much for finally getting praise...


	3. Chapter 3: Merlin

**AN: Ok, I'm back. I'm being bad and updating this story again instead of Mirror Mirror. I'm so sorry. Well, you guys probably don't mind, but I still feel bad. And I just love this chapter a lot. I had to write it twice as I sort of accidentally deleted it once, and I had fun both times.**

**Anyhoo, I hope you all like this chapter as much as I do! Also, in case anyone is curious, I think this fic should be approximately twenty-one chapters-ish? Things are changing already, but it should be somewhere around there. Just to let you all know.**

**And thanks so much for the support! I love all of you so much! Especially everyone who found time to review, you are all simply fabulous!**

**I still don't own Merlin. I hope this didn't come as too much of a shock to anyone**

Chapter Three: Merlin

Well, things could have been worse, Arthur thought. On the bright side he had found Emrys' camp. But, he had been captured, which would probably mean that he would either be killed or ransomed back to his father, both of which sounded equally unfortunate at the moment. He tried to block his father's disappointed face from his mind, focusing instead on learning as much as he could about Emrys and his associates as his captor shouted, "Oh mighty Emrys! I think you have a stalker." and pulled Arthur into the little camp where the man was standing with his back to Arthur and the man holding him.

"Did you bring another girl to our camp, Gwaine?" the mighty Emrys asked, still not turning around.

"Nope." his captor, Gwaine apparently, said, "This one came all by himself. And he's definitely not a girl, although he's not too hard to look at if you squint a little, I guess."

"What are you talking about? Have you been drinking again Gwa-" Emrys said turning around at last and freezing, jaw still opened, waiting to finish his companion's name. Gwaine began to protest Emrys' accusation but was cut off as Emrys regained his composure and said, "That's Arthur Pendragon."

"Yes I do believe it is." Gwaine said, as if it was completely normal to have the man hunting them down in their camp.

"You brought Arthur Pendragon to our camp?"

"Of course not, Mer-" Gwaine was interrupted as Emrys said, "Don't tell him my name!"

Emrys needn't have worried, Arthur hadn't heard any of what had been said since Emrys turned to face him. His mind had been lost to the memories of a young, dark-haired warlock ever since Emrys had turned around. Arthur knew he had seen those bright blue eyes and enormous ears before. He was sure Emrys was the boy from the forest. So, he hadn't heard anything Emrys and Gwaine had just said; as instead he had been listening as a small boy turned back to him and said...

"MERLIN!" Arthur shouted. "I remembered! Your name is Merlin!"

When he had shouted the name, both Merlin and Gwaine had turned towards him. Gwaine's jaw had dropped while Merlin's was pulled into a thin line. Gwaine apparently got over his surprise quickly and said, "Wait a minute, you two know each other?"

"No." Merlin replied quickly before Arthur could shout, "Yes! You're the warlock from the forest! I can't believe your ears have actually grown since then."

"And I can't believe you're even more of a prat." Merlin replied snappily.

"Okay, you two definitely know each other." Gwaine interjected. "How come you never told us you were on a first name basis with royalty, Merlin?"

"We only met once." Merlin defended.

"You saved my life!" Arthur added.

"I may have possibly saved his life when we were children." Merlin elaborated.

Gwaine had begun to reply but Arthur cut him off before he could finish, shouting out, "You're Emrys? How can you be Emrys?"

"Gwaine, could you go make dinner or something?" Merlin said, completely ignoring Arthur, "I want to talk to our guest alone."

"Awe, can't you just magic something up?" Gwaine whined.

"Do you remember what happened last time I tried to 'magic something' up?"

"I try not to." Gwaine replied with a grimace.

"Exactly." Merlin replied, "Now could you please go start dinner or gather firewood or something, I really want to talk to Arthur on my own."

"Ok," Gwaine replied, "but only if you promise to tell me the story of how you saved prince-y boy's life."

"Fine, if you leave us alone."

"You sure you don't need me to rough him up a bit, make sure he knows whose boss?"

"Gwaine..." Merlin said in a slightly exasperated tone.

"Alright, Alright, I'm going." Gwaine said, handing over the rope that held Arthur to Merlin. Arthur probably could have pulled away; Merlin still appeared to be made of sticks, just like in his memory. But Merlin would probably be able to stop him using magic, and Arthur was quite excited to have a chance to talk to the boy from his memories once again. So, he let himself be lead over to a tree at the far side of the camp, and with a flick of Merlin's hand, he found himself bound to said tree.

"So, you're Emrys?" Arthur asked again as Merlin sat down beside him.

"That is what the Druids call me." Merlin replied looking across the camp instead of at Arthur, which was starting to get quite annoying.

"Are you going to kill me?" Arthur asked. This finally got Merlin to turn towards him as he replied, "Kill you! Of course not!"

"So you're going to hold me for ransom. Or are you going to torture me to find out Camelot's weak spots, because I won't tell you anything!"

"You really must think the worst of us. We won't hurt you, or ask for any ransom, don't worry." Merlin said, watching Arthur with amusement.

"But what about what Gwaine said?" Arthur asked, quite confused. Wasn't he their enemy? Why wouldn't they hurt him?

"What? That he would 'rough you up'? He was joking, or being overprotective. One of the two. Don't worry about him. We don't hurt others."

"So what are you going to do to me?" Arthur asked, confused.

"Talk to you. Probably give you some food, eventually we'll have to knock you out so we can move without you seeing us."

Arthur didn't know what to say to that. If things had been reversed his father wouldn't have hesitated to kill Merlin. He looked around the camp; there really wasn't a whole lot to it. There was a small fire pit in the center, with four bed rolls lined up near to it. Gwaine was watching him suspiciously from a corner of a camp as he mixed something together in a pot. Arthur turned back to Merlin and said, "You haven't kept any of the gold."

"No." Merlin responded quickly, "We didn't lie in those letters. All the money we took from your father we gave to the people it was taken from. Uther takes more than he needs, so we take the extra to those who actually need it."

"My father only takes what is necessary to protect the people." Arthur replied, not really believing what he was saying. "You shouldn't steal anyways, it's a crime."

"How are seven feasts in the past fifteen days 'protecting the people'? We only steal from you because your father is a greedy pig and if you can't see that than you're just as bad as he is."

"You can't talk about royals like that." Arthur responded automatically. He might have slapped his forehead if his arms weren't tied to a tree.

"You sound a lot like your father." Merlin responded. Arthur had to agree with him. "You can't expect respect without deserving it first. The man who caught you, Gwaine, taught me something I think might help you understand. He was born a noble, the son of a knight in Carleon's army. His father died fighting for his king, and his family was left destitute, their king wouldn't help them when they needed it most. He told me that what he learned from his struggles is that nobility is defined by what you do, not by who you are. When you earn your title as prince, I will address you as such."

Arthur felt a little annoyed by that. He had spent his entire life trying to prove he was good enough to be the prince. "What do you expect me to do to earn it?" he asked, "I've been training with a sword since I was five, and I've won every tournament I've fought in since I was eleven. I've attended council sessions and helped greet foreign dignitaries and been bored out of my mind learning about Camelot's history. What else do you expect me to do?"

Merlin turned and looked directly at him and said, "I expect you to use your skills with a sword to defend your people, not your honor, I expect you to protect the citizens, even when it means disagreeing with your father, and I expect you to be able to make your own decisions instead of following those of others blindly. Only then will I address you with the respect a prince deserves."

There was a lull in the conversation as Arthur contemplated what Merlin said. Merlin had turned away from him and was watching Gwaine talk with two other men who had arrived at some point in their conversation. After a brief silence Arthur said, "Why does Gwaine fight my father if it was Carleon who wronged him?"

"He is under the impression that he owes me." Merlin said, still watching the others, "Thinks I saved his life. He got into a bit of trouble with a group of thugs in a bar, and they looked as if they were going to really hurt him, so me and Percival stepped in and helped him get away. He probably would have been fine without my help, but still. I also think he likes having company. Plus, he's fun to have around. He's a good man, and dead useful in a fight. And he makes things more lively. He understands our cause, Queen Annis is changing Carleon, they don't need help like the people here do."

There was another silence as Arthur thought of something he had wondered for quite some time, and said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Me Merlin or Me Emrys?" Merlin said, looking back at Arthur.

"Merlin. There's something I've always wondered about the day you saved me."

"Alright, but I won't promise I will answer. And I would like to ask you a question in return."

Arthur nodded and asked, "Would you have saved me all those years ago if you knew who I was beforehand?"

Merlin thought for a moment before saying, "Honestly, I don't know. I wish I could say yes, but back then I'm not sure. I was young, and I was angry. If I had found you a year earlier I might have killed you myself. I almost tried to go to Camelot to get revenge. Can you imagine that? A little nine year old magic user marching into Camelot, no plan, no allies, and trying to kill the king. It would have been suicide. Iseldir convinced me not to, and he taught me about the Druid beliefs in non-violence towards everyone. I didn't really understand what everyone meant for quite a while, but now I do. I think I would save you now, I'm less sure about your father, but I don't want him to die either."

"Is Iseldir your father?" Arthur asked, curious about this peaceful man.

"No." Merlin replied quickly. "He found me. I was very lucky his tribe noticed the smoke left from the fire that Uther's knights set. That fire killed my parents, my friends, everyone I knew. Iseldir and his tribe came to help the survivors. I was the only one." Merlin paused here for a moment, squeezing his eyes shut as if to block something from his vision before he continued, saying, "He let me live with his tribe, and taught me their ways and of my destiny. I owe him my life." Merlin paused for a moment, apparently lost in his memories. Arthur didn't think he should interrupt his thoughts so he waited until Merlin said, "Now for my question. Do you agree with your father's stance on magic?"

"Yes." Arthur replied automatically before he actually thought about the question. Merlin's disappointed glare made him think about his answer. He had replied exactly as his father would expect him to, but was that really how he felt? After thinking a bit more he said, "No. Maybe? I know how I am supposed to feel, but I'm not sure. Ever since you saved my life I've questioned it. We've been attacked by so many magic users; I just figured my father was right. He's always told me magic corrupted, but then I realized that a lot of the people my father killed hadn't really done anything evil. And most of those who tried to hurt us did it for revenge, not for power or anything else. And then you come back, risking your life to save the starving people, and you don't even think of killing me when you're given the chance, yet you have more power than anyone else I've met. You might be single handedly changing my views on magic."

Merlin laughed at that. "I'm glad. I guess I have one more question. What will you tell your father when you get back?"

"Nothing." Arthur replied. "I won't let him kill you now that I've finally found you again." Arthur blushed. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. But it was true. He had always been afraid each time his father had announced he had caught another sorcerer, afraid that it would be the big eared boy from the forest.

"Thanks," Merlin said sheepishly, "but I think you'll need to tell your father something after disappearing for a night. We just need to think of something you can say that won't give us away. Why don't you tell him the truth, partially at least, say you were following a lead on Emrys, but were captured my men. We were planning on torturing you for information, but you were able to use your amazing cunning and skills to escape me. You wanted to fight us, but we took your weapons, so you weren't really able to. Oh! And we were wearing masks the whole time, so you didn't get a good look at our faces. Do you think your father will buy that?"

"Probably." Arthur said, "He might even be proud of me for getting that close."

"You wouldn't want Uther Pendragon not to be proud of you; he's just a pillar of moral righteousness." Merlin said sarcastically.

"He is still my father." Arthur replied.

Merlin nodded then stood and said, "Thank you for speaking with me. I should probably stop before those three pull me away. I'll see if we can't get you some food, although I don't think it will be quite up to the standards of your royal palate."

"Thank you." Arthur replied lamely. He wished he could have thought of more to say. Merlin seemed so much more eloquent than he was. Arthur couldn't hear what the outlaws were saying as Merlin joined their group. The other three seemed slightly upset with Arthur as they kept glaring at him. Merlin kept on waving their comments away and laughing. Every once and a while he would smile at Arthur, making a warm feeling spread in Arthur's stomach. Gwaine and one of the others eventually dragged Merlin away, leaving the biggest of the lot to bring a small bowl over to him. He untied Arthur than retied him a bit tighter than necessary, leaving one of his hands free so he could eat the stew in the bowl he had brought. While Arthur ate he said, "Merlin may be trusting and kind, but we want you to know, if you do anything to hurt him we will make you pay. We don't all believe in non-violence like he does, if we find out you lied to him and report all this to your father, I promise you will regret it."

Arthur nodded and said, "I won't. I promise you."

The large man didn't look like he trusted Arthur, but he nodded before taking the bowl and retying Arthur to the tree more securely. He then walked away in the direction the other three had gone, leaving Arthur alone.

It was starting to get quite dark when Merlin returned, the large man who had talked with Arthur following him. When they were close enough for Arthur to hear them he could hear the large one saying, "I still don't see why you can't just wipe his memory. You've done it before."

"I want him to remember this, Perce. He's different from his father." Merlin replied.

"How do you know? How do you know he won't run back to his father and tell him all about us? I'm just trying to do what's best for us, Merlin."

"I know Perce, but I trust him. What if he's the one?"

Perce didn't respond to this at once, letting Arthur ponder what that could mean until Perce said, "You think he's the Once and Future King? Uther's son?"

"I don't know, alright, but I think it's possible. He doesn't share his father's views. He could fix things peacefully; he's the only one who could change things without there needing to be war."

"Just be careful, Merlin."

"I'll be fine, Perce. You worry too much."

Perce grunted in response and sat next to the fire, keeping an eye on Arthur as Merlin approached him again.

"He sure doesn't like me." Arthur whispered when Merlin was close enough to him to hear.

"He's just being ridiculous." Merlin said, yelling out the last two words so Perce would be able to hear them. They received another grunt in response, which made Merlin laugh before he said quietly, "You remember how I said Gwaine might be a little over protective? Well he's about a hundred times worse than Gwaine. Probably because we grew up together."

"He seems a bit violent for a Druid." Arthur said, figuring they must have met in the Druid camp as Merlin said everyone from his village had died.

"Percival, a Druid?" Merlin said with a laugh. "No. He was an orphan like me. The Druids adopted him after his mother died. He probably blames you father a bit as well, which would make him even more suspicious."

"Was his mother a witch?" Arthur asked, thinking that might be why he blamed Uther for her death.

"No. She was a farmer and seamstress. From what Percival has told me she was quite the lovely woman, but I never got to meet her."

"So then why does he blame my father for her death?"

Merlin was silent for a moment. He glanced across the fire to where Percival was still watching them. Then he turned back to Arthur and said, "They were poor. His father left them before he was born. Apparently he didn't want to have to deal with three daughters and a pregnant wife, so his mother had to raise them on her own. They did alright for a while, till a plague struck their village. Percival and his three sisters all got sick. Their mother spent all their money on taking care of them, so she didn't have anything to spend when she also fell ill. She died of the sickness, leaving them only with her debts. They were going to be sold into slavery to pay them back, but Percival broke them out and they escaped into the woods. We found them a couple days later, living in a cave. He believes that if it hadn't been for the taxes your father asked for, she might have been able to save herself as well."

Arthur was silent. He had seen that the people were suffering, but hearing the story of how one family was almost destroyed by the high taxes his father asked for really made it obvious that things needed to change.

"I probably shouldn't have told you all that." Merlin said. "I just want you to understand how the taxes affect the people. That's the reason Percival joined me, he doesn't want anyone else to have to live through what he did."

There was silence again as Arthur pondered this. After this pause Arthur asked, "Do you really think I'm the Once and Future King?"

"You know the prophecies of Emrys?" Merlin asked in surprise.

"I had to do something when I was supposed to be catching you. Your name was the only clue I had, so I learned everything I could about the legends."

"Ah." Merlin said, pausing before he continued, "I'm not sure. But when we met as children, it was almost like I felt something telling me to save you. Like it was more important than anything else. There's something special about you Arthur Pendragon, you could change the fate of this kingdom. Now, I'm sorry about this, but I need to make sure you don't see which way we go tomorrow. It shouldn't hurt, but you might be a little dizzy when you wake."

Merlin then whispered some words Arthur didn't understand, sending Arthur into a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

When Arthur woke, he almost wondered if the whole thing had been a dream. The camp was completely empty, except for a small note where the fire pit had been. Arthur was no longer tied to the tree, so he stood, stretching his stiff limbs. He felt a little dizzy as he stood, but besides that he felt fine. He walked over and picked up the note. It was written in the same handwriting as the ones they had found in the empty vaults. It didn't say much, just thanked him for not telling his father and explained the quickest route back to Camelot. The only thing that was really special about the note was that it wasn't signed Emrys, it was signed Merlin.


	4. Chapter 4: Bayard's Visit

**AN: OK, I caved and uploaded another chapter ;) You guys are just so wonderful, how could I not! I swear, I am working on Mirror Mirror, it is just going a bit slower with this fic calling out to me slightly constantly... It demands my writing time, because it is so much fun to write! Plus, I really want to get to the slightly more angsty parts. They will come eventually, I promise. Actually the next chapter is quite angsty if I do say so myself. Well, at least a little. But this story will get more angsty, if everything goes as planed. **

**Anyhoo, chapter four! I hope Arthur hasn't changed too quickly for people. I think this chapter has a bit more of why he decides he can't side with his father completely anymore, but it was a bit sudden. But I need Arthur to switch to Merlin's side soon, cause otherwise Merthur-ness would take forever! And I don't want that.**

**As always, if you have any questions message me or review, and I will try to answer them as best as I can. Often the answer will be I ignored that so I could make the story work the way I wanted it to (kind of like why Merlin doesn't use his magic much in this chapter, blame it on magic- messing with poisons). And thanks to everyone who did review, no matter what it said. They were all amazingly lovely, and you are all awesome people.**

**Finally, I do not own Merlin. Someday, somehow, I will marry Gwaine, but that probably doesn't count for much...**

Chapter Four: Bayard's Visit

Merlin was happy with the new camp, as it was in a better position than the one they had been forced to flee. It had a large cave that they could hide in if the weather got nasty and was further from the Druid camp, which reassured Merlin. He didn't want the town found because of his own clumsiness. Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot had been acting slightly more protective of him than usual ever since Arthur's visit, which was getting a little annoying. Percival hadn't let him out of sight since he had sent Arthur to sleep last night. They had spent the entire day laying low and setting up there things, and Percival had deemed it necessary to stay uncomfortably close to Merlin. He had considered using magic to push him away, but figured that would just get him another lecture, which he really wasn't in the mood for right now. They remained in the camp until the next afternoon when they left their few belongings hidden in the cave to go meet the tax collector coming in from the town of Whennom. It had been easy enough; a few simple spells and a little intimidation from Gwaine, Lancelot, and Percival and the man had handed over all his gold. They had left the shaking man with a message for Uther before disappearing into the woods. Percival had wanted Merlin to stay behind while they went to deliver the gold, as he deemed it too risky. Merlin had argued with him for quite a while before he had convinced Percival to let him go to the village most of the gold had come from instead of entering the city with the rest of them. Even if Arthur had given them away, the people of the far away village wouldn't know anything yet.

Merlin had taken the longest to return from his trip, seeing as he had the furthest to go and the most people to visit so, when he got back, Lancelot, Gwaine, and Percival were all waiting for him. They had lit a small fire and were eating some type of meat that looked a lot like roasted rabbit and smelled absolutely heavenly. When Merlin collapsed next to them, he was handed a portion of the meat and some bread from his friends. After taking a few bites he asked, "So, did Arthur tell his men what we looked like?"

"It doesn't seem so." Lancelot said, "At least not yet."

"I told you he wouldn't give us away." Merlin responded with a smile.

"Just because we were safe today doesn't mean he hasn't talked." Percival said.

"Awe come on Percy." Gwaine said, "Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge the royal... what was it you called him Merlin?"

"Prat." Merlin said with a smile. He was glad at least one of his friends agreed with him about Arthur. He had been thinking about the young prince ever since they had left the old camp. The feeling he had gotten when he was a child had returned when he saw him again. The tugging towards Arthur, the unexplained urge to protect the man and the strange way he had been sure Arthur had been telling him the truth just by looking in his eyes. He wanted to see him again, to ask him more questions, to try to determine whether this man really was his destiny, but of course that was slightly impossible, seeing as Arthur was supposed to arrest him on sight. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Arthur really would do as his father wanted if they met again.

"Oy! Merlin! Anyone in there?" Gwaine called, snapping Merlin from his reverie. Merlin sent a small amount of magic towards Gwaine, sealing his lips. Gwaine tried to mumbled a bit through the spell, but gave up quickly, instead focusing his energy at glaring at Merlin who ignored him and said, "Any other news from Camelot?"

"Uther's going to have a royal visitor." Lancelot said with a smile. "And you may want to let Gwaine speak, he looks like he's about to explode."

"Fine." Merlin said, waving his hand.

"King Bayard's coming to Camelot! Uther's throwing a big party and everything." Gwaine blurted out now that he had use of his mouth again.

"Bayard of Mercia?" Merlin asked. "What's he doing in Camelot?"

"Apparently signing some type of peace treaty." Percival answered.

"We were thinking, with all the guards preoccupied with two kings the vaults would be wide open." Lancelot said with a smile.

"That's probably true, Lancelot." Merlin said with a grin. "We can't let a glaring security flaw like that go unnoticed."

"Now that sounds like a party." Gwaine said with a smile. They all gathered around the fire to begin planning their next big heist.

* * *

Arthur arrived in Camelot at about midday. He was escorted to see his father who yelled at him for leaving before Arthur could even tell the story Merlin had made up for him. When he finally got the chance to explain his absence, his father had fallen silent, and when Arthur finished, Uther clapped him on the shoulder, telling him he had done well to get so close to Emrys before questioning him about his night. Arthur had denied any knowledge of the thief's identity while his father pressed him for information. When the king pulled out a map, requesting for Arthur to point out where Emrys had captured him from, Arthur motioned vaguely towards an area far enough from where the camp had been that Arthur figured Merlin and his friends would be nowhere near it. Uther had then sent Arthur down to see Gaius, in case he had been injured and was hiding it from his father. He had been glad to escape his father's incessant questioning, but was slightly nervous his father would get lucky and send the knights he had called in the right direction and find Merlin and his friends. Arthur tried not to worry, Merlin was powerful, and he wasn't alone. They would be alright. And Gaius knew quite a bit about the Druids and Purge that Geoffrey either did not or would not tell him, so even though he wasn't injured the trip wouldn't be a complete waste. When he reached the tower in which the old physician lived in alone, he knocked, received a "Come in." then entered.

"Sire!" Gaius said, jumping up from his table. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"I was caught by the thief and his men. My father would like you to check for any injuries." Arthur replied.

"Emrys? You met Emrys?" Gaius asked with amazement. The physician had been the one who told him of the legends, and had always shown quite the interest in the outlaw, so Arthur wasn't surprised by his excitement.

"Yes, but I didn't learn much, so don't ask. Although, he did say the Druids call him Emrys. Would that mean he is the genuine article?"

"If any could recognize Emrys for who he is, it would be the Druids. Of course, this could just be another part of his alias. If he wants us to think he is Emrys, he would say that. Do you feel pain anywhere? Any lightheadedness?"

"No Gaius. I'm fine. He didn't want to hurt me." Arthur answered, still slightly surprised by this fact.

"Did he tell you anything at all, Sire?" Gaius asked. Arthur paused. Could he tell Gaius more than he told his father? He decided to risk at least a little, and said, "Gaius, if he really is Emrys, then there would need to be a Once and Future King as well, right?"

"Yes, I believe so. Did someone else there address themselves as such?"

"No." Arthur said hesitantly, "I overheard him speaking with one of his...associates. He seemed to think that I might be him."

"Really?" Gaius said with surprise, and quite a fair amount of skepticism. "Well, I suppose it is possible. I always thought the Once and Future King would come from the Druids, just like Emrys, but I could be mistaken."

Arthur nodded. That made sense. But then again, it didn't seem as if Emrys was a Druid either. He may have been raised by them, but he had made it clear that he had not been born with them. That reminded Arthur of Merlin's past, and he asked, "Do you know if my father ever destroyed an entire town in the purge? It would have had to have been a few years after the purge started, but probably not too long."

Gaius gave him a questioning look and asked, "Is this something else you overheard while with Emrys?"

"Something like that." Arthur replied.

"There were a lot Druid camps Uther sent his knights to attack. But you know about those, don't you?"

Arthur nodded, lost in memories of riding out with the knights to murder the magic users that his father hated so. But he couldn't be distracted now, so he shook his head and said, "Not a Druid tribe. It would have been a town. And it would have been burned down."

Gaius was silent. He stared off into the distance for a moment before stumbling back into his chair. He looked like he was currently lost in some terrible memory. The look still on his face, he said, "There was one place. Your father kept it pretty quiet. The only reason I knew about it was because a friend of mine lived there. It was a small town, called Ealdor. Uther didn't want people to know it was him who destroyed it as it lies in Essetir. He didn't want war, so he did it quietly. He rode out with a group of knights, saying he was going hunting. When he came back he said he had defeated the last dragon lord, a man called Balinor. I believed Balinor was living in Ealdor, so I sent a letter to my friend to inquire about it. The letter was returned, with the message that the town no longer existed. When I questioned the king he told me what he did. I almost left his services then, but cowardice and a past friendship convinced me to stay."

Arthur was silent. So his father had really destroyed an entire town in his war against magic. He took a deep breath and asked, "He killed everyone? Not just this Balinor?"

"Yes. I travelled there a few weeks after I learned of its destruction. It was horrible. I asked some of the surrounding villages what had happened, they just said it burned. They hadn't seen anyone fleeing. And when I reached the town... When I reached the town it was gone. Nothing but ash. It was terrible."

"Thank you for telling me this Gaius. I am sorry I brought up such terrible memories." Arthur said, his mind was racing. Could this Ealdor be Merlin's home? He had to learn more. Gaius nodded silently, looking pale and stunned, still lost to the horrors of the past. Arthur left quietly, making a mental note to see that one of the maids brought the elderly physician some food as thanks. He went down to the library and started searching through the maps, looking for any sign of a town called Ealdor. It must have been removed from most of them, as it wasn't until he found a very old map that had been buried under piles of others that he saw a small mark labeled "Ealdor". It was tiny, just beyond the borders of Camelot. Arthur's stomach churned as he thought about the people who must have lived there before it had been destroyed by his father. Soon the horror at the destruction his father had wrought changed to anger, and he found himself marching back up to the throne room, ready to yell at his father for what he had done. It wasn't until he had gotten there that he realized any sudden knowledge of Ealdor could make his father suspicious, and could create trouble for Merlin, so when his father asked him what he had come for, he wasn't able to respond. He just stood silent for a moment, anger boiling deep inside of him. How could Uther look so calm, act so peaceful with so many innocent lives on his hands? He suddenly remembered something Merlin had said. After all he had suffered; he didn't want to see Uther dead. Arthur felt like someone had pulled a plug somewhere inside of him, and all the rage, all the horror washed away, leaving him feeling exceptionally empty. He almost didn't hear his father say "Well, if you have nothing to say, I need to speak with you about King Bayard's visit in a few days."

Arthur nodded vaguely, barely paying attention to what his father was saying as his mind was lost to thoughts of Merlin and how much he had lost, and how good he had remained.

* * *

The day of Bayard's visit arrived quickly. Merlin, Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot were ready. They had fashioned disguises to use to sneak into the city, each large enough to hide a dark cloak they would use once inside the castle. Merlin would use magic to distract any guards they ran into on their way, and then keep watch as the others broke into the vaults. They weren't too worried; this would be the fifth time they had broken into the castle. It was a lot easier than it probably should have been. The guards of Camelot really weren't the brightest bunch.

Still, Uther was angry. And he had started to increase training for the guards who were all obviously afraid of failing their king once more, which made them dangerous. Merlin hoped they might have one ally in Camelot now though, even if the others thought he was slightly crazy for trusting the prince.

Everything had been going perfectly. No one doubted the four elderly men who made their way towards the castle, trying not to itch the scratchy fake beards as they did. They didn't stop until they reached the castle wall, waiting in a position they knew was shrouded in shadows to the guards above, where they quickly pulled on their dark cloaks. Merlin opened a door that led down into the bowls of the castle with a flick of his wrist and a mumbled word, allowing them entry. They ran inside, Merlin stopping briefly to close the door they had entered but leaving it unlocked in case they needed to make a speedy getaway. They had reached the vaults quickly; after Merlin had sent the only two guards watching into a deep sleep, allowing them to pass by unnoticed. He took his position at the corner of the hallway that lead down to the vaults, keeping an eye out for the guards who would be sent in as relief. It was his job to keep watch as he had recently mastered speaking directly to the minds of his friends, and could give them updates on their situation silently. He had gotten slightly bored waiting for the others to finish, and had started to think about Arthur again. It was strange to think that the man he wanted to speak with so badly was so close but also so completely inaccessible. He was Emrys; nothing should be off limits for him. He was so lost in his daydreams of the blonde prince that he didn't notice the two men approach from the far end of the corridor, wearing the uniforms of the guards of Camelot. Unfortunately they had noticed him, and he was snapped harshly from his thoughts as a bolt from a crossbow sunk into his shoulder. His cry of pain was followed by a large crash as Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine attempted to come to his aide. Merlin focused his power on the connection between the four of them as he thought, 'I'm fine. You three need to take whatever you have and run. There are guards, and they've spotted me, but you are safe. I will meet you back at the camp, I promise.'

As soon as he had finished, he heard a shout from the vaults which sounded vaguely like Percival yelling "I'm not leaving you, Merlin!"

Merlin focused on the connection once more, which was getting difficult with the pain in his shoulder increasing and the guards approaching and thought, 'I'm Emrys! Stop worrying about me and run! This is an order! It will be easier for me to get out alone, and this way they won't learn how we got in. Now go!'

Percival didn't respond this time, which Merlin took as a good sign as he sprinted off down the hallway. He hadn't noticed that one of the guards had run in the opposite direction he was heading, and that soon the whole city would be alerted of his presence.

* * *

The feast had been remarkably dull. As Uther and Bayard blathered on and on about who knew what, Arthur let his mind wander back to where it had been straying a slightly unsettling amount lately, Merlin. He wondered where the dark haired warlock was now, what his next plans were, whether Arthur would ever get the chance to speak to him again. The only thing that had been able to pull him from his thoughts was when a guard burst into the banquet hall and shouted, "Emrys has been spotted in the castle!"

"WHAT!" Arthur and his father both said at the same time. While Uther sounded angry and a little excited, Arthur was terrified. He couldn't let Merlin be caught, he owed him his life!

"One of the guards managed to shoot him in the shoulder with a poisoned bolt, and is pursuing him now. I came to alert your highnesses." The guard said, still slightly out of breath.

"Very good." Uther said. Arthur needed to get out there, he felt so useless doing nothing while Merlin was injured and trapped inside his castle.

"Father," Arthur said, "May I be excused to help catch Emrys? It is my duty to protect the kingdom from threats like him."

"Of course, Arthur." Uther said, "Do not fail me this time, I want the thief's head on a platter by the time the evening is over."

Arthur felt slightly sick at this image as Uther order the guard who had interrupted to take Arthur to where Emrys had been spotted and began to explain the situation to Bayard. Arthur didn't stay for the explanation; instead he yanked off his cloak and rushed after the guard. The guard led him down to the corridor outside the vaults, saying he had seen Emrys run down the opposite direction they had come, the arrow still lodged in his shoulder. Arthur sprinted down the hall, following a path of slight destruction that must have been left by the chase. It wasn't long before he found the guard who had been chasing Merlin. He was looking down a dark hallway, that Arthur was almost certain ended in a dead end. He ran up to the guard and said, "What's going on? Where's Emrys?"

"He's down there, Sire. I was afraid to attack on my own, so I waited, hoping Jeremy would come back with reinforcements."

Arthur nodded. "Good thinking. Now, I want you two to go to the west tower. There is a hidden servant's corridor that runs from the end of this hall to a chamber at the bottom of the tower." Arthur had made up the corridor, wanting to get rid of the guards without looking too suspicious. They wouldn't know whether or not Arthur was lying, and would hopefully trust the prince. They nodded so Arthur continued. "I believe he knows of this passage, I will follow him from this end, force him towards you."

They nodded and ran off; leaving Arthur alone at the end of the corridor Merlin was supposedly trapped down, being slowly poisoned by the arrow the guard had used. Arthur walked quietly down the corridor, whispering "Merlin" at every door. He eventually found him, leaning against the far corner, a hand clutching his shoulder where an arrow was stuck in his flesh.

"Merlin, is that you?" Arthur whispered.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked. Arthur was certain it was his voice, even if the pain he was in was causing it to sound slightly more strained than usual.

"Yeah." Arthur responded, rushing to Merlin's side. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"Why?" Merlin asked, leaning on Arthur as he began to lead him down the currently deserted corridor.

"You saved my life; I'm just repaying the favor." Arthur whispered, leaning Merlin against the wall as he checked to make sure no one was heading towards them.

"Thank you." Merlin said, still sounding like he was in quite a bit of pain, the poison must have been quick-acting if he was already this weak.

"Where are Percival, Gwaine, and the other one?" Arthur asked, "Are they trapped in here as well?"

"No." Merlin said quietly. "They should be headed back to camp. No one saw them, so they were able to get out safely."

"I find it hard to believe that that Percival bloke just left you here." Arthur said, genuinely surprised. He also thought he should keep Merlin focused on anything but the pain as they made their way out of the castle. It was getting more difficult as they reached more heavily populated areas of the palace, but Arthur was the prince, and he was able to hide Merlin and order the men in the wrong directions so he could maneuver Merlin to the exit. "He didn't want to." Merlin responded with a pained laugh, "but I am the leader of our group, he understands that even if he does see me as a little brother."

"If I get you out of the city, will you be able to get back to them?" Arthur asked, panting slightly as they snuck out one of the side entrances to the castle. Arthur had been correct in thinking it would be unguarded in all the excitement, so they were able to escape the castle safely.

"I believe so." Merlin responded. "But how are we going to get out of the city? You're father will have sealed the gates, won't he?"

"Don't worry. I have a plan. I had to have ways to escape the constant watch of my guards when I was a child, right? Well, you are about to learn one of the many secrets of Arthur Pendragon. I haven't used this exit for years."

"You think it will still be there?" Merlin asked breathlessly. Arthur couldn't answer right away as a group of knights had just turned down the street they were walking down and Arthur had to push Merlin down an alley to keep him hidden. He ordered them to head in the other direction, saying he had this area under control, before he ran back to the alley and picked Merlin up off of the ground, where he was lying, unable to support himself after losing Arthur's help so suddenly.

"I am pretty sure no one touched that corner of the wall since I did. Don't worry, Merlin, it is well hidden. I'm not going to let my father catch you tonight."

"Thank you, Arthur." Merlin huffed, "You are beginning to change my opinion of Pendragons."

Arthur kept silent at that, but smiled slightly. They were approaching the part of the castle walls he had used as an escape route when he was young. Concealed behind a large bush the wall had crumbled slightly, allowing for there to be just enough space for him to crawl through. He had been a lot smaller when he had, but he figured Merlin would be skinny enough to fit through. He rushed up to the wall and pushed the branches of the bush aside so the hole was visible and Merlin could squeeze through it.

"Are you sure you will be alright?" Arthur asked, as Merlin crouched down slowly to peer through the whole.

"Thanks to you, I believe I will be. I can let my friends know where I am, they will come for me. You risked a lot helping me, Arthur. I can't thank you enough."

"You needn't thank me at all." Arthur said, "You saved my life before, and you opened my eyes to the atrocities my father has committed. I want to help you change this land, in any way I can."

Merlin studied him for a moment before saying, "You will make a good king, Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur didn't know how to reply to that. As he tried to think of something to say, he heard another group of guards approaching quickly, so he whispered, "Go! I will try to lead them away, but you need to get out of here."

Merlin just nodded before he ducked through the opening and disappeared as Arthur ran back to join the group, praying that Merlin would make it safely away from the castle. The search went on all night, but there was no sign of Merlin, or Emrys Arthur thought, no one but him would call him Merlin. Uther had been furious at 'his failure,' and Arthur had had to make sure he didn't look too happy as he announced to his father that Emrys had escaped him once again. The two guards he had sent away kept silent about the 'servant's passage', probably as they were afraid their inability to find the non-existent passage had lead to the eventual escape of the thief. There had been a small amount of gold missing from the vaults, but there had been no note, probably as their mission had been interrupted by Merlin's discovery. Still, no one had any doubt about who had taken the gold, seeing as it went missing on the same night as Emrys was spotted in the castle. Arthur still worried about Merlin's wound, but he decided to remain positive. One of Merlin's friends would have to know how to treat him. And he was Emrys after all, Arthur was certain he couldn't be killed that easily, so he resumed his daily life. The only unusual thing was how often he found his thoughts drifting not to Emrys as his father's obviously were, but to Merlin.

* * *

Merlin had managed to creep into the forest without being spotted, which was slightly amazing with the amount of times he had stumbled on his way there. Once he was hidden by the trees, he had used the connection he had forged to alert the others of his position. His entire arm felt like it was on fire, and he was almost certain it wasn't an ordinary arrow lodged in his shoulder. He had pulled himself over to a tree where he could sit and wait for the others to come to his aide. It wasn't long before he heard Percival calling his name, quickly followed by the voices of Gwaine and Lancelot.

"I'm over here!" Merlin called weakly. The voices had stopped and Percival had appeared by his side.

"Merlin! What happened?" Gwaine called as he too moved to Merlin's side.

"One of the guards saw me. I didn't see him, and he shot me, and I think there may have been something on the arrow. Arthur helped me out of Camelot, but he couldn't do anything else." Merlin said. He was beginning to grow tired of talking. He just wanted to sleep.

"Arthur Pendragon helped you escape?" Lancelot asked, slightly incredulously. Merlin just nodded.

"We need to get you to Iseldir now." Percival said, lifting Merlin up and rushing past Lancelot and Gwaine, who both nodded and followed behind him. Merlin could just barely keep his eyes open as he was carted through the woods, towards the Druid camp. When Percival burst through the thick trees Iseldir was already there waiting for him. A large portion of the village had joined him, watching as Merlin was carried into the camp by a silent Percival. It was getting difficult for him to keep his eyes open as they entered Iseldir's tent, and Percival set him down gently on the cot in the corner. Merlin could feel the sweat dripping down his brow as Iseldir knelt by his side and said, "You need to be more careful, Emrys, all our hopes rest on you."

Merlin wanted to reply with a sarcastic comment about the amount of pressure Iseldir was putting him under, but his mouth and throat were too dry, so all he could do was give him a hazy glare as he said, "We need to remove his shirt."

Merlin could feel Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot's hands on him as they all tried to help Iseldir undress him. The cool breeze that whispered across his burning skin felt amazing as his shirt was cut from his body and dropped to the floor. He could just barely hear Iseldir tell Percival to pull at the arrow as he felt two rough hands pressing around the wound. He couldn't hear Percival reply if he had, his ears filled with the sound of his rushing blood. Then, with a sudden burst of pain, and the arrow was gone from his shoulder, although the burning remained. He couldn't hear it, but Iseldir had begun whispering words in the old religion. As Iseldir chanted, Merlin felt a fire move through his veins, gathering at the now empty wound, before exiting, taking the terrible burning with it. As the fire left his body, Merlin fell into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Nightmares

**AN: Another chapter in the early hours of the morning! Well, it's early for me. Almost 1 am! **

**Anyhoo, I uploaded a chapter of Mirror Mirror so I figured it was only fair I uploaded a chapter of this as well. Cause that totally makes sense. **

**I also copy and pasted this one, instead of uploading a document, so if anything is weird because I messed something up, please let me know. And I am sorry.**

**This chapter also has my attempt at being scary. I may have failed completely, but I tried. I would love to hear what you think? I think I would be more creepy if it was like a movie. Describing decaying bodies is not my forte.**

**As always, thank you all for the fabulous support, whether it be in the form of reviews, favorites, alerts, or simply reading. All of it makes me smile! I love you all more than you can understand! Also, to the few people who asked if they could go to Gwaine and mine's wedding, OF COURSE! As soon as I finish my machine that will send me into fictional worlds I will let you know. I do plan on majoring in astrophysics, so maybe if I made a device that could take someone to other universes in the multiverse we could find one with a Gwaine just for me...Ok, now I am definitely rambling. Sorry.**

**And I don't own Merlin. I'm to tired to be funny right now, I need Gwaine to do something funny for me. I think he's sadly serious in this chapter though. He's going to be amazing in chapter eight, though, in case you were curious. He is also about all I think about, apparently...**

Chapter Five: Nightmares

Merlin smelled smoke. He felt the heat of a faraway fire, and as he looked down at his too-small hands he knew exactly where he was. He peered through the oh-so-familiar trees down at his burning village. Horror swept through him, as he heard the screams of the villagers as he stood helpless above them. No! He wasn't helpless! He was Emrys! He wouldn't let them die this time; not when he had the power to save them. But, as he moved forward, the village began to crumble. He couldn't reach them quickly enough. No matter how quickly he ran, his child's legs kept him from making it to the burning buildings in time to do anything. When he finally did make it, he could see the knights of Camelot towering over him as they rode away, their job done. For a moment, the face of Uther Pendragon was locked on his. As the dark eyes bore into his, he felt frozen once more, locked in the king's gaze as he sneered down on him. It wasn't long before Uther's gaze turned, and Merlin's turned with him, looking at the destroyed town with fear as he heard the king laughing as Uther rode away. Merlin moved toward the destroyed homes as the laugh faded behind him, stumbling and tripping over every rock and root in his path. He eventually found his own home, its wooden walls charred from the flames. He expected to find nothing inside, just as he had all those years ago. He was wrong. Waiting for him inside were the disfigured bodies of his mother and father. Their burned flesh pealed from their faces; in some areas he could see the white of the exposed bones while others were simply covered with blisters and burns as they moved towards slowly towards him, their empty eyes locked on his trembling figure.

"Why didn't you protect us, Merlin? I loved you so much, don't you love me? Why did you let me die?" the rotting version of his mother said, stumbling as her destroyed legs tried to move forward.

"I do!" Merlin stammered, backing away slowly, "I was just so scared, I didn't know how to save you." Merlin could feel tears running down his checks as he continued to back away from his parents.

"All that time I taught you wasted." his father growled, his voice sounded strange as his entire nose was missing, leaving a cavernous hole in his charred face. "Why did you turn your back on us when we needed you most? You failed me, Merlin."

"I'm so sorry." Merlin muttered, as he stumbled backwards and collapsed against the back wall that still felt warm against his shirt. "I'm so sorry." he repeated, burying his head in his hands.

Suddenly, there was a small hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the blister-covered face of his best friend from childhood, Will. "Why didn't you save me?" Will whispered, it was hard to understand as he was missing a part of his bottom lip, exposing his small, white teeth, even when his mouth was shut. "I thought you were my friend."

Merlin continued to shake his head and mutter apologies as the burnt bodies of his friend and parents moved towards them. Then their hands were on him, dragging him out of the destroyed building into the streets of the once happy town. More disfigured people from his memories moved towards him, asking why he hadn't saved them, why, with all his powers, he hadn't prevented such a terrible tragedy. He felt thousands of blistered and decaying hands as he was dragged towards the center of the town where the fire was still burning. "No no no no no no!" Merlin chanted as he was brought towards the roaring fire, helpless against the destroyed hands of the people from his distant past. As he could feel the heat of the approaching fire, he started to scream and heard his name being called out over and over. Then all the voices were replaced by three very familiar ones, and he was pulled from his nightmare by Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot. As he looked around he realized he wasn't in their camp he muttered, "What happened?"

"We were rather hoping you could tell us. You alright, mate?" Gwaine said, while Percival and Lancelot nodded, looking concerned. The events of last night rushed back to him, the arrow, rushing through the castle with Arthur, calling to Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine in the forest, and finally being treated by Iseldir in the camp. Merlin reached a shaking hand up to where the arrow had been, looking to see a small scar where it had been removed. Iseldir had obviously used magic; the wound looked far too old for only happening last night.

"I'm fine." Merlin muttered, sitting up slowly. The visions from his dream were still haunting him when he closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. His friends didn't seem to believe him as Percival said, "You were screaming, Merlin."

"It was just a nightmare." Merlin said, brushing away the comment. "I feel fine."

Still, he couldn't stop himself from shaking and the others must have noticed as they watched him nervously. Luckily, before they could question him about the content of his dreams Iseldir entered the tent, carrying a small bowl of porridge.

"It is good to see you are awake, Emrys." He said, offering Merlin the bowl.

Merlin nodded, and accepted the bowl. "Thank you." he mumbled, before digging in.

"How is your shoulder?" Iseldir asked, steering the worry away from his dreams. "It feels great!" Merlin said, trying to act cheerful to cover the lingering fear from the nightmare. "Sorry we had to bother you."

"It is no bother." Iseldir said. "Just try to be more careful in the future."

Merlin just nodded and continued eating, four pairs of eyes watching him with concern. He really didn't want to go through this with the entire village so he said, "We should probably be heading out soon. Did you guys get anything from the vaults before we had to run?"

Lancelot held up a bag that rattled as he did. Merlin could tell it was slightly less full than they had hoped just by the size and the amount of clinking it made as Lancelot raised it up. "Less than usual, but still not bad." he said.

"Good." Merlin said, happy to have moved the conversation away from him. "We should take that into the city tonight. Uther will need money to pay for whatever celebration he makes to distract Bayard from the fiasco last night, and we know who he will be taking it from."

There was silence for a moment before Percival spoke, saying "Alright, but you're staying in the camp. Even if you feel better you still need rest."

Merlin glared at him, but by the looks all the others were giving him they agreed, and there was no way he was going to win this argument. "Fine." He mumbled. Percival smiled at him, and Gwaine and Lancelot looked relieved.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?" Iseldir asked. "You know you are welcome to."

Merlin looked at the rest before making a decision for all of them. He really didn't want to stay, he didn't like the way the people here treated him like he was some type of god. He knew Percival had reasons to want to stay, but he also knew that he never liked to stay long, there were too many reminders of his past here. Gwaine and Lancelot had very little connection with the town, so they had always been slightly awkward on visits, not sure what to do when surrounded by magic users. Taking in each of their expressions Merlin said, "Thank you, but I think we will be going."

"Alright. Know that you are always welcomed here. All of you." Iseldir said, focusing his gaze on each of them in turn. They each nodded, and Merlin handed Iseldir the empty bowl that had contained his breakfast. Merlin stood, and Lancelot, Percival, and Gwaine rushed to his side to make sure he didn't stumble. He sighed slightly, trying to show them he was fine by stretching and walking up ahead of them out of the hut. He wished he had let someone else leave first as he was greeted by practically the entire town holding vigil outside Iseldir's home.

"Uncle Merlin! Uncle Merlin! Are you ok?" Miranda cried, rushing through the crowd, followed by her younger sister and cousin. They each grabbed a hold of Merlin's ankles, looking at him with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine guys, don't worry." Merlin said, picking up Thomas who couldn't be more than two and handing him back to his mother who had followed. Percival helped free him from Miranda and Isabella's grip, picking them up and telling them over to his oldest sister Cecilia, and her Druid husband, Maddoc. The Druid children were watching from the crowd, all looking like they wanted to run forward as well but had been instructed not to by their parents. Merlin looked out over the crowd who were all watching him expectantly, as if waiting for him to speak. He took a deep breath and said, "Hello." nervously before he coughed awkwardly and began again. He had never been good at talking to the Druids like this. He felt like they had such high expectations of him, and he would let them down if he said one wrong word, which he usually did.

"Thank you for your concern, but you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine. I hope our visit didn't disturb you."

Merlin paused for a moment. The Druids were still silent as he stumbled through his address. Gwaine chuckled a little in the background, earning an elbow in the stomach from Lancelot and causing Merlin to blush even more. "I must go now, but I promise I will return. I believe that the days when we will be free are approaching quickly. And I promise, I will do everything in my powers to keep all of you safe until that day."

This seemed to satisfy the Druids, as they all began to move towards him, their earlier reluctance forgotten. Soon Merlin found himself surrounded by people offering him gifts, blessings, or thanks, and people who wished for his help, his knowledge, even his touch alone. This was why he couldn't stand the camp, he couldn't breathe here. He liked the children, but the adults were just too much for him on a good day, and today most definitely was not a good day. Luckily, Gwaine, Lancelot, and Percival noticed his plight and helped guide him through the crowd. When they finally reached the border of the village, Merlin had been covered in flowers, had touched quite a few babies, and was feeling quite overwhelmed by the sheer number of admirers he had. Percival kept a hand on his shoulder as they ran back towards their camp, finally free of the Druids who worshipped him.

* * *

Percival was worried about Merlin. And it wasn't just him; Gwaine and Lancelot were as well. Ever since he had woken up screaming in the Druid camp he seemed more reserved than usual. And the dark bags underneath his eyes were making Percival think that whatever nightmare he had had in Iseldir's tent was still plaguing him. Determined to get to the bottom of this, Percival moved his bed roll slightly closer to Merlin's, and pretended to go to sleep while everyone else started snoring. He watched the man he thought of as a little brother sleep for a short period. He was tossing and turning, and kept whispering "No" and "I'm so sorry." over and over again. Eventually he shot up, gasping and clutching his blankets around him. His breathing slowed slightly but Percival could tell he was still shaking as he got up and walked to the far side of the camp. Percival waited a moment, wanting to give Merlin some time to himself before he went to talk with him. Eventually, Percival stood, and made his way over to where Merlin was still standing, staring up into the sky.

"Can't sleep?" Percival asked.

"Nightmare." Merlin replied quietly.

"Same one you had before?" Percival asked, receiving a small nod from Merlin. "It's about your parents, isn't it?"

Merlin turned to him, a terrified gleam in his eyes and said, "I should have been able to save them! Why, with all this power, couldn't I save the people most important to me?"

Percival pulled Merlin into a hug, as the smaller body shook against his large chest. "It's not your fault." Percival said. "You didn't know what you know now. You couldn't have stopped Uther and his knights."

Merlin nodded slowly, pulling out of Percival's arms and wiping his eyes a little.

"You need to get some sleep, Merlin. You'll get sick."

"You sound like my mother." Merlin said with what looked like it was supposed to be a smile but was more of a grimace than anything else.

"I'm just worried about you, Merlin. We all are."

"I'm fine." Merlin said quickly.

"You can't lie to me, Merlin. I've known you for too long. You're not going to be able to fight if you make yourself sick."

"What's the use?" Merlin said desperately. "Nothing changes. Maybe we should give up, get as far away as possible. It wouldn't matter."

Percival was shocked. Merlin had never sounded so defeated. Whatever these nightmares were they must have been truly horrific if they had caused such a shift in the warlock. He grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, but Merlin still didn't look at him.

"You know that isn't true. You've saved lives, Merlin. Try telling that to the Collins, do you think they believe that none of this matters? You've given the people hope; you've given me a way to fight the injustice that destroyed my family. Without you, I don't know what I would be doing, but I know that I wouldn't be doing so much good. You can't give up now."

"Why not?" Merlin sighed. "Why can't someone else do this? Why does it have to be me?"

"You know why Merlin. You have suffered under Uther more than anyone else, yet you do not seek revenge, you only seek safety for others. You have all this power, and you don't use it to destroy, you use it to protect those who need you. And no one else has the support that you have. You can't give up now, Merlin. The people need you, not anyone else."

Merlin looked into Percival's eyes for a moment. Percival thought he looked a little better than he had at the beginning of their talk, but he still looked so tired. "You're right, Perce." Merlin said with a small smile. "Thank you."

"You know it's not a problem." Percival said, letting go of Merlin. "I just want to know you're alright. Why don't we go get some sleep?"

"You go ahead." Merlin said, "I'll be right behind you. I just need a minute."

The smile he gave Percival reassured him slightly, so he decided to trust that Merlin would do as he said, and returned to his pile of blankets and fell asleep.

* * *

Arthur hadn't been sleeping well. Ever since he had helped Merlin out of the castle, he had been having nightmares. Most of them ended with either him or his father killing Merlin, or Merlin killing one of them. The first kind were much more prevalent, and he was thinking of asking Gaius for whatever he gave Morgana when she had nightmares. His father wasn't helping the process as he constantly found time in his busy schedule to tell Arthur about everything he had done wrong when it came to catching the thief. He also used these times to explain to Arthur plenty of ways he wanted Emrys to be killed. Each method has been more gruesome than the next, giving his nightmares plenty to chose from. The worst thing about the nightmares was always Merlin's eyes. Either the betrayal that lay in them as he was murdered by either himself, or his father with him watching, or the hatred that filled them when he would simply raise a hand and either him or his father would fall down dead, the life choked out of them with magic. He needed to do something to take his mind off of things, so he decided to go for a hunt. He had waited until he had a free day, gathered the supplies he needed and headed out to the woods, hoping the escape from the city would help take his mind off the constant nightmares.

* * *

Gwaine was worried. He could tell Percival and Lancelot were as well, but none of them really knew what they could do to fix it as Merlin retreated further and further from the group. They hadn't attempted to steal anything since Merlin had been shot; all of them were too shaken up by the injury to really think of going back to the city too soon. Gwaine looked around the small camp, and upon seeing Merlin sitting in one corner, staring off into space, decided it was time for something to be done to help him. Lancelot was not in the camp; he had probably gone off hunting or something, so Gwaine decided he would just have to get Percival to join him. Gwaine picked up his crossbow, looked significantly at Percival and then Merlin before saying, "Hey, Percy, want to go hunting with me? You can carry back the deer I catch."

Percival looked back at Merlin, who had glanced at Gwaine wearily before returning his gaze to the same empty space he had been staring at. Percival nodded at him and followed him as they walked out into the woods. Once they were far enough from the camp that Merlin wouldn't be able to hear them, Gwaine said, "Alright, I know I'm not the only one who's worried about Merlin. We need to do something to cheer him up."

Percival nodded and said, "I tried to talk to him, but I didn't work. He's been having nightmares."

"Do you know what about?" Gwaine asked, wanting to know as much as possible about whatever was bothering Merlin.

"He said his parents, probably their deaths by the way he has been acting. He told me he wanted to run away. We need to do something, and soon. He can't give up hope."

Gwaine mulled this over for a moment. If Merlin was thinking of running away, things were much worse than he thought. "But what about what he said to the Druids? He said he thought things were going to change, he sounded sure about that."

Percival's eyebrows knotted together slightly. He seemed to be pondering something before he mumbled, "Arthur Pendragon..."

"What?" Gwaine asked. "What does he have to do with this?"

"Merlin thinks Arthur might bring peace to the land. And he did say he helped him out of the castle. Maybe he could help." Percival said. Gwaine was rather surprised by the suggestion, but it almost did make sense so he replied, saying, "You think? He did seem quite happy after they talked back at our old camp."

"There's just one problem," Percival said. "We can't bring the prince to Merlin, even if it would help. He's too well protected up in his castle."

As Percival finished speaking, they heard a noise from the forests to their left, back towards Camelot and away from their camp. Thinking it could be a deer, and that even if they hadn't come out to hunt, they could still bring back some food, Gwaine followed it. It wasn't food though, it was something much better. Gwaine gave a wide smile to his comrade who nodded back before he rushed forward to catch his prey.

* * *

The hunting helped, a bit. Arthur was so completely focused on tracking a beast through the forest that all thoughts of Merlin, his father, and everything else disappeared. He was so completely enthralled by the hunt that he didn't notice the two men following him until they leapt out of the woods. Arthur had tried to fight back, but his exhaustion had slowed his moves and as it was two against one it didn't take long for his attackers to pull his hands behind his back and force him onto the forest floor. After binding his hands they moved in front of him and Arthur recognized his attackers as Merlin's friends, Percival and Gwaine. Gwaine looked at Percival and asked, "Do you think this will work?"

Percival just shrugged and said "Worth a try."

Arthur could do very little as Percival brought his fist to the side of Arthur's head, supposedly trying to knock him out so he wouldn't learn the location of their camp. The blow didn't knock him out though, just sent him down to the ground. He quickly considered his options. He could try to fight them in his sleep-deprived and bound state, which would probably just earn him another blow to the head which actually would knock him out, or he could act unconscious and probably get to talk with Merlin again. He might even learn the location of the camp, if they trusted he was unaware of where they were taking him and didn't move their camp afterwards. Choosing the second option, Arthur kept his eyes closed and his body relaxed as Percival lifted him up and slung him over his shoulder. Arthur tried not to think about how undignified he looked as he bounced against Percival's broad back. He was actually slightly glad they had bound his hands, as it kept them from giving away his alertness. Luckily for him, Gwaine had decided to walk in front of him so he could keep his eyes open and watch where they were going from his perch on Percival's back. It sounded like they had been talking, but Arthur couldn't really make out what they were saying as his head kept knocking against Percival's backside. He was quite relieved when they stopped and Percival set him against a tree. He kept his eyes closed until Gwaine started slapping his face and calling his name. He tried to look disoriented as he 'woke up' and looked around, noticing he was in a camp similar to the first, but now near a large cave. Merlin was nowhere to be seen, which disappointed Arthur slightly. He focused back on Gwaine who said, "Sorry about the blow, but we couldn't let you know where our camp is."

"Then why did you bring me here?" Arthur growled, trying to maintain any dignity he had left. Gwaine and Percival glanced at each other suspiciously before Gwaine said, "Merlin's feeling a bit down. We thought you might be able to cheer him up."

"Me?" Arthur said, inwardly worrying about what was wrong with Merlin, "How could I help Merlin? Why haven't you guys helped him?"

Percival glared at him and said, "Don't you dare think we haven't tried."

He then moved forward, looking murderous, but Gwaine grabbed him and said, "Why don't you go get Merlin? He won't be happy if we bring him a dead prince."

Percival nodded and stalked into the forest, giving Arthur a glare before he was out of sight.

"What's wrong with Merlin?" Arthur asked Gwaine who was working on tying him to a tree.

"Not sure." Gwaine said. "He hasn't been doing so well ever since he was shot."

"You mean when I helped him out of the castle?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah. I guess he did say you helped him. Why did you do that by the way?"

"He saved my life; I couldn't let him die when I could do something about it."

"I can understand that. He saved my life too. He's good at that." Gwaine said smiling at him. "Thanks for getting him out of there; I don't know what any of us would do without him."

Arthur just nodded. There was a brief pause before Arthur said "Why do you think I can help?"

"He was quite happy after he talked with you; we were hoping you could replicate that today. And he won't talk to us, so we're kind of desperate. He hasn't been sleeping much lately, and Percival remembered how he had cheered up after your visit, so when we ran into you in the woods, we figured might as well try." Gwaine answered with a shrug.

"Percival? I thought he didn't like me." Arthur said, surprised the large man could remember him with any positive emotions.

"I wouldn't say he doesn't like you, he's just really worried about Merlin. We all are."

There was a brief pause, apparently Merlin was quite hard to find so Arthur turned back to Gwaine and asked, "How did he save your life?"

"I got involved with the wrong people." Gwaine said, Arthur was slightly surprised he was talking to him but he didn't question it and kept silent as the man continued, saying, "My mother and sister needed the money, and I wanted to make sure they were alright. Unfortunately things didn't work out exactly as I planned, and I ended up on the wrong side of about twenty swords. If Merlin hadn't stopped the men, I probably would have quite a few holes in me, which I don't think would have helped my looks at all. It was funny really, all the men were all terrified of Percival when he stepped up, and didn't give Merlin a second glance until he waved his hand and they all ended up strewn all over the bar. He looked so excited when he told me to run; he saved my life before he even asked my name. When I learned what he was planning, I asked if I could join, sounded like too much fun to pass up. Plus he let me send a little of the money we got back to my mother, that is until she spoke with Queen Annis and got the pension she deserved for my father's service. I expect that you understand why none of us are going to let Merlin suffer, not after everything he has done for us."

Arthur just nodded and looked up as Percival came back, Merlin trailing behind him looking rather exhausted. Arthur thought he hadn't been sleeping well, but Merlin didn't look like he had slept at all for the past week. When his eyes landed on Arthur he froze, his eyes gaining a little bit of clarity as he said, "Arthur? What are you doing here?"


	6. Chapter 6: Choosing a Side

**AN: Hi! I'm back! With more Arthur and Merlin together! YAY!**

**Anyhoo, I'm not quite sure how often updates will be now, I am house sitting and the people I am house sitting for forgot to leave me their wifi password. I found a place in the house where I get super-slow internet connections, so I will try to update from here, but I'm not sure how it will work. It is also why i haven't been replying to reviews, I just realized that there was this connection here, so I wanted to get something uploaded as quickly as possible.**

**Also, there may be a small reference to AVPM/AVPS in this chapter, mostly for moonshoespotter2877 but also for anyone else who can spot it... It is kind of tiny though. **

**So, I think that's about it! Thanks to everyone who did review, I really appreciate them! And thanks for everything else as well! I really am glad that people are liking this! **

**And I don't own Merlin. Just my intense love of the series.**

Chapter Six: Choosing a Side

_"Arthur? What are you doing here?"_

It took Arthur a moment to decide how to respond. Part of him just wanted to try and comfort Merlin, tell him to sleep and get rid of the terrible dark circles under his eyes, but he still was Prince Arthur Pendragon, and he had some pride, so he rolled his eyes and said, "Why don't you ask them?"

"You brought him here?" Merlin said, looking between Gwaine and Percival, "I thought we decided last time that that was a bad idea considering he's the son of the evil lunatic who wants to murder us as painfully as possible, no offense Arthur."

"None taken." Arthur said. He was beginning to agree with Merlin about his father, especially since he had heard Gaius tell him about Ealdor. This caused Merlin to pause and turn towards him, letting Arthur really see why his friends were so worried about him. He looked awful, his body was practically shaking although he was trying to disguise it and look strong. His eyes looked so hopeless, and he kept on glancing around himself nervously, as if he expected to see someone else there, someone he looked to be terrified of.

"You're not even going to try to defend your father?" Merlin asked, looking slightly happier as he slowly approached Arthur.

"No." Arthur said, "I'm beginning to understand why you think of him like that." Arthur then took a deep breath, and asked what he had been wondering about ever since he had spoken with the elderly physician, "You're from Ealdor, aren't you?"

Judging by the way Merlin stiffened at the name of the town, Arthur was sure he was right. He stared at Arthur in horror for a moment before he whispered, "Leave us. Please, I need to talk to him alone."

It didn't look like Gwaine knew about Ealdor, but Percival's tense expression made Arthur think he did. Percival took a step forward, looking like he was going to try to comfort Merlin, but after a glare from Merlin he just nodded and walked away, taking Gwaine with him.

"Where did you hear of that town?" Merlin asked his voice cold. He was staring at the ground, his hands clenched in fists, looking like he was trying to hold something back, but Arthur wasn't sure if it was rage or tears.

"I- um, the court physician, Gaius, told me about it." Arthur said, wondering whether it would have been better if he had never brought it up. This didn't seem to be making Merlin feel better.

"What did he tell you?" Merlin said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

"He told me what my father did. I'm so sorry that-" Arthur was cut off as Merlin hissed, "You're sorry? Oh, well than that makes everything better doesn't it? Your father killed everyone I knew. I was only four, Arthur, and I lost everything. All that I had left was my name. But if you're sorry, than that makes everything better."

"I know it doesn't, Merlin!" Arthur shouted, trying to get through to the man who was glaring at him with hatred that was very similar to what he had seen in his nightmares. "I'm not trying to make anything better, and I know that what my father did was unimaginably horrible, I just want you to know that I do not agree with him. Whatever Balinor had done, whatever happened in that town, no one deserves to die like that."

Merlin's expression softened slightly, but he still looked angry and confused as he approached Arthur slowly. "You know about Balinor as well?"

Looking at Merlin as he said this, something clicked in Arthur's mind. "Balinor was your father."

Merlin just glared at him, neither confirming or denying Arthur's suggestion, but Arthur was positive he was right. "He didn't do anything wrong." Merlin said eventually. "He was a good man, and a better father. He took care of me, he loved my mother, he wasn't hurting anyone. He told me that there might be a day when he would have to leave, but even he couldn't predict the horrors your father would commit to destroy his kind. Even after he left Camelot, he was still hunted. He thought he was safe, but it was never enough. Why did he have to die, Arthur? What had he done wrong?"

Merlin was now sitting at his feet. There were tears running from his exhausted eyes. Arthur wanted to reach out to comfort him, to hug him like he had in the forest, but he couldn't with his arms tied behind his back. He took a deep breath, and chose his side.

"Nothing." Arthur said, surprised that he believed it completely. "It was my father who was wrong, not yours."

"Yet I saved you!" Merlin yelled, "Why could I save you, the son of the man who murdered them, but not my parents? What's wrong with me?"

Arthur was amazed and slightly horrified at what he was seeing. This was the same man who had broken into the palace multiple times, had mocked his father without any fear, who had saved the sorcerer and his mother without injuring anyone, and he looked so broken. Arthur knew he needed to do something to fix this, because this was incredibly wrong.

"There is nothing wrong with you, Merlin. You may be the only person in this entire kingdom who has absolutely nothing wrong with them." Merlin looked at him confused as he continued, "You are the only one who has acted against the injustice of my father, but done it without hurting anyone else. You are the only person who doesn't let their own needs come before the needs of the people. You are strong, and brave, and right! I was wrong to ever think otherwise. Just because you can't save everyone doesn't make you wrong. You do so much; don't blame yourself for the terrible things that you cannot prevent. Please, Merlin, this kingdom needs you to set it right."

Merlin was watching him with eyes that were no longer filled with anger or hatred, but hope, as Arthur realized how much he meant everything he had said. He had failed his kingdom, it wasn't safe for the people living in it, but somehow, Merlin was working to put it right. This kingdom did need him, and Arthur was going to make sure that it didn't lose the one person who might have the ability to fix it.

"You really are different from your father." Merlin said, moving closer to him. As he did, Arthur realized that he was proud, proud that he was being told he was not like the man he had worked his entire life to impress, and suddenly he realized how much he had changed since he had first spoken with Merlin in the forest a few weeks ago. It was strange how much one conversation had affected him.

"I guess I am." Arthur mumbled. "You're friends said there was something wrong, I think it was kind of the whole reason they interrupted my hunt, and I have to admit you do look terrible. What's the matter?"

"Not so much anymore, thanks Arthur. But what about you? You don't look so great either." Merlin said, wiping his eyes and smiling at Arthur. Arthur realized he had probably noticed the dark circles that hung underneath his eyes as he watched Arthur with concern.

"Nightmares, nothing too bad." Arthur said, trying to act casual about it. Merlin tensed, making Arthur think he might have shared his malady as he said, "Do you want to talk about them? You helped me, the least I can do is listen."

Arthur hesitated. What would Merlin think of him if he knew what he was dreaming about? Still, he did want to tell someone, and he couldn't let anyone else no how afraid he was of the death of the man he was supposed to be hunting down. "There are two." Arthur said hesitantly, "Well, two types. Usually either I kill you, or you kill me. Sometimes my father is involved, but usually it's just us. I don't know why, Merlin. I don't want to hurt you, I swear."

Merlin nodded and smiled before saying, "I believe you, Arthur. There's something about you, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I know you won't hurt me. And I promise I would never hurt you, even if I hadn't sworn never to use violence unless it was absolutely necessary. I believe that you can change this kingdom, Arthur, and I believe that you have only told me the truth. You saved my life, even though you were supposed to kill me, I won't be forgetting that anytime soon."

Arthur nodded and smiled back at the dark-haired warlock who was now leaning against the tree next to him. "We make quite the pair, don't we?" Merlin asked, looking across his shoulder at Arthur, "A thief and a prince, both haunted by nightmares, unable to tell what side we're on anymore."

Arthur glanced at him confused, but didn't respond as Merlin settled his head against Arthur's shoulder and his eyes fluttered shut. Even though he wasn't in the most comfortable position, Arthur felt his own weariness over come him as he watched Merlin doze peacefully on his shoulder, and soon his head was drooping as well, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Lancelot was rather confused when he returned to camp and found Merlin sleeping with his head resting against Prince Arthur's shoulder. The prince was also asleep; his head slumped atop Merlin's. Neither of them looked all that comfortable, but the dark circles that lay beneath their eyes made it obvious that they were both exhausted and needed this rest more than either of them would probably admit. He didn't really know exactly what he should do, so he set down the rabbits he had caught for their dinner and began looking for Gwaine and Percival, hoping one of them would be able to answer his questions. It didn't take him long to find them, they were both watching the sleeping couple from behind a couple of trees, whispering to themselves. When Lancelot coughed to announce his presence they both jumped and turned to face him.

"Lancelot!" Gwaine said quietly, "You're back."

"Yes. I brought back some rabbits, but more importantly, what the devil is going on here?"

"Umm…" Gwaine started, looking slightly guilty, but Percival answered for him saying, "Merlin needed help. I'm guessing you noticed that too. The prince was wandering around the woods, so we knocked him out and brought him here, to see if talking to him would cheer Merlin up a bit. They talked for a while before they both fell asleep. Seeing as this is probably the first good sleep Merlin has gotten since we robbed Uther during Bayard's visit, we decided we shouldn't disturb him."

Lancelot nodded. It did kind of make sense, in some weird way. And he definitely didn't want to wake Merlin, but there were other things they needed to worry about.

"What about Uther? He's going to wonder what happened to Arthur if he's gone too long. He'll tear the forest apart if he thinks someone's kidnapped his son."

"Well, we hadn't really thought about that yet." Gwaine said, glancing at Percival who just frowned and shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course you didn't." Lancelot replied with a sigh. He thought for a moment before saying, "Alright. I'll take the prince back through the woods towards Camelot. You two stay here and watch Merlin, try not to wake him up. We'll have to move him over to his bed roll though, if we want to get Arthur out of here."

Gwaine and Percival nodded and stood to help him move Merlin. Percival lifted him with so much care and gentleness, he didn't stir at all. It probably helped that he hadn't been sleeping well for so long. Lancelot was relieved to see that even when separated from the prince, Merlin's face stayed peaceful. He had been worried about what would happen if Merlin needed the prince to sleep, as they really weren't ready to face the rage that would accompany kidnapping the prince of Camelot, even if it did help Merlin.

Gwaine then helped Lancelot untie and hoist Prince Arthur up over his shoulder. The prince wasn't getting the same amount of care Percival had given Merlin, but he seemed to be staying asleep anyways. Lancelot wondered briefly what could have caused the prince of Camelot to become so exhausted, and then headed off into the woods. He took the prince as far as he could, he was quite heavy, then leant him up against a tree and began trying to wake him.

* * *

"Sire? Sire, are you awake?" Arthur heard an unfamiliar voice saying. As his eyes slowly fluttered open he saw the face of Merlin's only friend that he hadn't spoken with hovering over him. It took him a moment before he realized the dark-haired warlock was nowhere to be seen and he shot up asking, "Where's Merlin? What's going on?"

"Merlin's back at our camp." The man said, laying a reassuring hand on Arthur's shoulder, "I'm not sure what you did, but I think we should be thanking you, he hasn't slept so well in days."

Arthur smiled at that, he was happy to have helped Merlin, even if he really was supposed to be hunting him down. He had decided today that his father was the one in the wrong, and that his people needed at least one Pendragon to try and help them in their time of need, even if that did mean aiding a thief. As he watched the man who had brought him here, he realized something and said, "You called me Sire. None of Merlin's friends have ever spoken to me with any respect, yet you call me Sire. Why?"

The man sighed and turned back to him, saying, "You probably don't remember me Sire, but I remember you. About a year ago I came to Camelot, I dreamed of being a knight. I had seen injustice running rampant in the land, and I thought that maybe if I became a knight I could work my way into your or your father's favor, and try to change things from the inside, without unnecessary violence. Unfortunately, my dreams were crushed before they even began, I am not nobility. When I made my plea to you and your father, I was turned away without even getting a chance to prove my skills. You are the best knight in the land, even if I cannot be one of you, I still look up to you and strive to live my life by the knight's code."

Arthur nodded. He had to admit, he didn't remember seeing this man address his father. He wished he had, but he supposed he hadn't really been paying attention during many of the pleas his father made him sit through, so it wasn't a complete surprise. He then turned to the would-be knight and asked, "Why did you join Merlin if you wanted to be a knight? Isn't stealing kind of against the knight's code?"

"It depends on how you look at it." The man said, shrugging. "I don't think of it as stealing, I think of it as ensuring the people's safety. They can't live without the money we steal, so I work to protect them. And Merlin asked me to join him; I did not seek him out. After I was rejected from the knights, I didn't know what to do. I wandered to one of the bordering towns, wondering what I could do with a knowledge of swordplay and very little money. It was just as I was about to use what little money I had to drink myself into a stupor when the city was attacked, some type of monster with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. I did my best to protect the villagers, thinking that even if I wasn't officially a knight, I could still act as one. Nothing I did helped, and I had resigned myself to dying at the talons of the beast when suddenly, Merlin, Gwaine, and Percival were fighting beside me. With the help of Merlin's powers, I was able to slay the beast. The villagers threw us a party in order to thank us, and Merlin asked me whether or not I would be interested in joining his little group after I told him my story. I jumped on the opportunity; he gave me a way to fight for justice even though I wasn't a noble. I was lost, and he showed me the way. I owe him my life."

Arthur nodded again, unsure of what to say. One thing was clear, Merlin's friends were all incredibly loyal to him. The more Arthur learned about the thief, the more he amazed him. He seemed to be a better leader than Arthur could ever hope to be even without a crown or title. The other man looked to be getting ready to leave so Arthur jumped up and said, "What is your name? You know mine, it seems unfair that I do not know yours."

"Lancelot, Sire. I should be getting back though, and so should you. I'd rather we didn't have to deal with Uther's army marching through the forests looking for you."

Arthur nodded and stood, saying, "Thank you, Sir Lancelot, for telling me your story. I will not forget it."

Lancelot smiled at him and said, "And thank you, Prince Arthur, for seeing us as more than a lowly group of thieves hiding in the woods. I know Merlin would thank you if he was here, but he really did need all the sleep he can get."

"Take care of him." Arthur said, looking Lancelot in the eyes.

"We will, do not worry. All of us would protect him with our lives." With that, Lancelot did leave, disappearing into the trees. Arthur waited a moment before turning in the direction of the castle and hurrying back home before anyone became worried about him.


	7. Chapter 7: Discovering Destiny

**AN: Hello! So, I am trying to post this from my phone, which is an interesting process, sorry about any mistakes that are a result of this. Or boor for spelling/ grammar**

**Anyhoo, this chapter was really so I could get Kilgarrah in this. Not a whole lot going on. I hope you all like it anyways! And thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts, I love you all!**

**And, of course, I don't own Merlin. I just do this for fun ;)**

Chapter Seven: Discovering Destiny

Merlin woke up on his bedroll, feeling more relaxed than he had in what seemed like ages. He hadn't dreamed at all, no haunting images of his parents and friends to disturb his slumber. He was slightly disappointed by the distinct lacking of Arthur in the camp, but he understood that he couldn't use the prince of Camelot as his personal pillow for long. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, and upon noticing Gwaine and Percival watching him asked, "What happened to Arthur?"

"Lancelot took him back towards Camelot, he should probably be back in his castle by now." Gwaine said, "How do you feel?"

"Much better, thanks guys." Merlin said with a smile, "I know I've been a bit out of it lately, sorry."

"Are you sure? You don't want us to go bring Arthur back do you?" Percival said, sounding surprisingly serious, which caused Merlin to laugh a bit.

"No, I really do feel better. I guess I just needed the right person to talk to. I shouldn't have closed myself off from you. I don't think we should risk kidnapping Uther's son again, no matter how comfortable his shoulder is."

Gwaine laughed and slapped him on the shoulder, saying, "It's good to have you back, mate. We were all really worried about you."

"And you know that you can talk to us about anything if you need to right?" Percival added, grabbing Merlin's other shoulder and looking him straight in the eyes.

"Yes, of course I do. I'm sorry I was so down. I know I really shouldn't have closed myself off, you guys have always been there for me." Merlin said, looking back and forth between both of them.

There was a brief lull in the conversation as Percival and Gwaine both removed their hands from Merlin's shoulders and let him stand and stretch. Just as Lancelot was walking back into the camp Gwaine said, "I've been thinking, we've let Uther get a bit comfortable lately, it's probably about time we paid him another visit, isn't it?"

"No." Merlin said, causing Gwaine to look at him in alarm, "Not yet, there's something I need to do first."

"What is it?" Percival asked, moving to stand next to Merlin, still looking a little more concerned than Merlin liked.

"I need to talk with the Dragon." Merlin said, certain that this was the most important thing to do right now.

"But I though all the dragons were dead?" Lancelot asked, obviously confused.

"Not all of them." Merlin said with a smile, his eyes gleaming.

"You can't be serious." Percival said.

Merlin just smiled and nodded, "I need to know more about my destiny. The dragons were said to know things that no mortal could. I need to talk with him."

"What are you two talking about?" Gwaine asked. "Isn't Lancelot right? Uther killed all of the dragons in the purge."

"Not quite." Merlin said, letting Percival take it from there, "Uther killed all the dragons but one, which he locked in the caves under Camelot as an example. Merlin, you can't be seriously thinking of breaking into the dungeons of Camelot, especially not now."

"Why not? The dungeon's aren't going to be any more heavily guarded than the vaults, and we've done that before. How hard can it be?" Merlin said, determined to get into those caves.

"Last time we broke into the vaults, you almost got caught." Percival said, "The guards are getting better, we can't just prance around the castle whenever we want to."

"But they won't expect us to break into the dungeons." Merlin reasoned.

"Yeah, and at least they won't have to drag us all over the castle when they catch us, we'll already pretty much be in the cells." Gwaine said with a smile, although he did sound a little skeptical still, "Are you sure it is really necessary to talk to this oversized lizard Merlin?"

"Yes. I need to know more about my destiny. And I think we can trust Arthur, he can help us if we need it." Merlin said, knowing after today that this was true.

"Oh goody, we're going to break into a prison with the help of the man who is trying to put us in said prison. This sounds like the best idea you've had yet, Merlin!" Gwaine said, a crazy glint in his eyes. He always did like a challenge.

"You are both crazy." Lancelot said, earning a nod from Percival, "But, if you really need to talk to this dragon, I don't see why we can't manage it. We will just have to be extra careful."

"Yes!" Merlin cried, "Thank you, Lancelot! I swear, this is important." Merlin than turned his gaze to Percival, who was still looking a little uncertain about this idea, "Come on, Perce, you know about my destiny. I just need to talk to him for a few minutes. Please say you'll help."

"Fine." Percival said, a small smile on his face, "But if we get caught, I'm going to kill you before Uther has a chance to."

Merlin laughed at this, as they all gather together to discuss their new goal.

* * *

Arthur made his way back to the castle as quickly as he could. His father was rather disappointed when he admitted that he hadn't caught anything on his hunt. George was rather frantic, saying that he should have let him come along to help carry his supplies. Arthur was surprised by how little his father's disappointment affected him as George prepared him for dinner. He knew things had changed in the woods today. He could no longer stand by as his father caused such suffering. He had sworn to serve the people, and that's what he was going to do. Of course, he had also sworn to serve the king, but he had decided that that was slightly less important. Especially when the king deemed it necessary to destroy an entire town in order to kill one man who hadn't really done anything wrong. Arthur found himself disagreeing with his father more and more. He had even started to voice his concerns, although it really wasn't getting him anything except for his ear yelled off. He was tired of listening to his father explaining how evil magic was without evidence, and he was sick of getting told off for not catching Emrys and then being locked in his room for trying to explain to his father how maybe the thief had a point. His father seemed quite confused by the fact that nothing he seemed to do really affected Arthur anymore, and had converted his confusion into energy saying it was more important than ever to catch the thief. He had even hinted at the possibility that Arthur could have been enchanted by the thief on the night he was captured, and had removed him from the head of the group trying to catch Emrys and replacing him with Sir Leon, which was a little silly seeing as Leon was probably his most loyal knight and had promised to keep him updated on every action taken against the thief.

But Arthur still worried about Merlin. Even though he had had no nightmares since he had napped with Merlin, he still remembered the fear he had felt when he watched as blood spilled out of the thief, helpless to stop it. As his father had said, it was only a matter of time before Emrys made a mistake, and was caught. Then what would Arthur do? He spent many of the hours locked in his room asking himself this question. Could Arthur stand by as his father killed Merlin? Usually his mind would scream no before even considering the options. Then he would really think about it, and what would he be able to do? Could he betray his father, and if he did, what then? He wouldn't be able to stay in Camelot, would he? He would be a traitor, and who knew what his father would do to him. Was it possible that Uther would kill his own son if he helped the thief he hated so? In the end it came down to the question, was his father's hatred of the thief stronger than his love for him? Because if it was, Uther wouldn't hesitate, he would do whatever possible to destroy the thief and any involved with him even if it was his own son. Even as these thoughts swirled in Arthur's head, he longed to see Merlin again. He wasn't sure what it was about the strange man, but each time they talked it only made him want to know more, wish he was able to spend more time with him. But, Merlin couldn't just waltz into the castle to talk to him about his inner turmoil whenever he needed it, and he couldn't just leave the palace and go searching for him each time he wanted to, that would get suspicious, especially with his changing behavior and he definitely didn't want to be the reason Merlin was caught. So, there was very little he could do besides think and worry and argue with his father as he waited for Merlin to make his next move.

* * *

It had taken them a while to figure out the best way to break into the dungeons, they had a good plan. Gwaine and Lancelot were going to create a distraction while Merlin and Percival knocked out a couple of guards and used their uniforms to sneak into the castle. Gwaine and Lancelot would need to be careful, but hopefully as the guards still didn't know what they looked like so they hopefully would be alright. Plus, if something went wrong, Merlin and Percival would probably know about it right away as they would be down in the dungeons, and could hopefully help anyone brought down there escape if needs be. It was one of their more risking plans, but if Merlin wanted to speak with the Great Dragon it would have to do.

The plan started well enough, Gwaine and Lancelot started a bar fight that got large enough some passing guards heard it and went to investigate. When they passed Merlin and Percival's hideout in a nearby alleyway, Merlin whispered a spell that sent them into a deep sleep and Percival pulled them into the darkness where they quickly stripped them and donned their uniforms. They were lucky that Percival was able to fit into his, even though the sleeves ripped slightly as he pulled his arms through. Merlin, of course, had the opposite problem, and the uniform hung off his lanky body making him look slightly ridiculous. Even with the ill-fitting uniforms, they were able to make it into the castle. Merlin had almost wanted to stop in Arthur's chambers, but he knew there really wasn't any time for that, and that would probably have gotten them caught, so instead they took each stairway going down they could find. It took them a while to find the right one, and they had gotten quite a few strange looks from people who noticed they really didn't seem to have any idea of where they were going, but eventually they found it. Merlin had put the guards watching the cells asleep as well, before they had rushed down to the passage that would lead down to the Dragon's cave. Percival waited, keeping watch as Merlin used his magic to light a torch then rushed down the steps to speak with the imprisoned beast.

When he got to the bottom of the steps he took off the stolen guard helmet so he could get a better look around. He was standing on a ledge, looking out into a giant cave. He was pretty sure he could hear water trickling down somewhere below him, and there was a large outcropping of rock just passed a large chasm in front of him. It was strangely quiet, and Merlin prayed he hadn't been wrong about the beast trapped down here as he shouted out, "Hello? Dragon? I need to speak with you."

There was a moment of silence before he heard the rushing of wind from above him, and the Dragon descended, landing on the outcropping in the center of the cave.

"We meet at last, Young Warlock." The Dragon said in a deep booming voice. Merlin couldn't help but stare at the beautiful creature. He could just remember the stories his father would tell him about the dragons, they had been his favorites when he was young, but seeing one in person was beyond any story. It took him a moment to get over his excitement, and then he replied, saying, "You have been waiting for me?"

"Of course I have, Merlin. We are kin, after all." The Dragon said, his eyes gleaming a bright gold.

"Kin? What do you mean?" Merlin asked, confused.

"We are both creatures of magic, and we are both the last of our kind. I can see your father in you, Young Warlock. He would be proud of what you have become."

"You knew my father?"

"Yes. He was a good man. I felt the powers of the old religion cry out when he died. He was the last left who knew my real name, but I believe it is time I pass the knowledge on to his son, even if he was not able to. Someone on this planet should know that I am Kilgarrah, the last of the dragons. Now, young Merlin, I believe you came here for a reason. What is it you wish to ask me?"

"I need to know more about my destiny, can you help me?" Merlin said desperately.

"The dragons have always known much about the events of the past, and the future. What is it you wish to know, Young Warlock?"

"The Druids taught me some, I know that I am Emrys, and that I am destined to return magic to the land, but I need to know, who is The Once and Future King?"

Kilgarrah's eyes bore into Merlin's own for a moment before he replied, "I believe you already know the answer to that question, Young Warlock. Trust your heart, it will lead you to your destiny."

"So it is Arthur." Merlin said, smiling a little. Kilgarrah did not answer, but Merlin could swear he was smiling as well. Merlin was going to ask Kilgarrah more about how he knew his father when he heard Percival calling his name from the stairs.

"Thank you for helping me, but I have to go." Merlin said, grabbing the torch.

"Yes you do, but before you leave, I would like you to make me a promise." Merlin nodded quickly and Kilgarrah continued, "One day you will free this land from Uther's tyranny. I ask that on that day you promise you will free me from my prison as well."

Merlin thought about this. In the stories his father had told him the dragons had always been free, it did seem so wrong to imprison one like this. But still, a dragon could cause quite a bit of harm, and he didn't want anyone to be hurt by his actions. Deciding what to do Merlin replied, "I will free you, as long as you swear you will not hurt the people of this land. Not even Uther Pendragon."

Kilgarrah did not respond right away, instead he scrutinized Merlin. It felt strange, as if he knew more about Merlin than he did himself, which, as Merlin thought about it, was probably true. When he was done studying Merlin he replied, saying, "Very well. I accept your terms. Now, you really must be going. I can't have you failing your destiny before you get a chance to free me."

Merlin smiled and said, "Goodbye Kilgarrah, I will not forget you."

"It will not be long before we meet again, Young Warlock. And remember, trust your heart, even when things seem darkest, it will lead you to the light."

With that last remark Kilgarrah flew off into the darkness, leaving Merlin alone on the ledge, pondering what he had learned. Percival's voice pulled him from his musings and he ran up the stairs, meeting Percival half way up.

"We have to move, the bell just rang. The guards you put to sleep will be relieved soon." Percival said. Merlin nodded and followed him the rest of the way up the stairs. They rushed past the sleeping guards and up towards the door. Just before they exited Merlin sent a spell back to wake up the guards, so their relief wouldn't cause a stir when they found them asleep. They could only hope that the two guards they had passed would be too embarrassed to raise a stir themselves. Then he slipped the guard helmet he had taken earlier back on and followed the disguised Percival back into the castle.

They had gotten out a lot faster than they had gotten in, now that they at least sort of new the lay of the castle. There had been a brief awkward moment where Merlin spotted Arthur, and wanted to go talk with him, especially after all he had learned. But, he was speaking with a group of knights, so it probably wouldn't be the best time. Percival had pulled him away, and after that they had no stops until they were out of the castle. They made their way back down the streets, trying to act as calm and natural as possible, until they found a deserted corridor and snuck down in to change back into their clothes. They kept the guard uniforms, though. Those could come in useful later. Once they were back looking like ordinary citizens, Percival and Merlin headed for the exit of the town, hoping that Lancelot and Gwaine would be waiting for them when they arrived.


	8. Chapter 8: Morgana's Misfortune

**AN: Hello again! Ok, so if you couldn't tell from the title, this chapter is pretty similar to 2.03, so I skipped a lot. Sorry. I just want to get on with the Merthur! Which will happen very soon, this chapter is kind of the lead up to it, which may be why the story turns into a bad chat about sexual preferences about three quarters of the way through. Sorry about that.**

**On that note, I think a few characters are slightly (ok, more than slightly) OOC in this chapter. I'm sorry. It needed to happen. And I have never written from Good Morgana's perspective before, so that was interesting. I'm not to great at it.**

**Ok, think that's it! The next time I upload a chapter I will be at college! Yay! Although this may mean that there may be larger gaps between chapters as I will have classes/ homework/ maybe even a social life? soon. But don't worry too much, I pretty much have the next four chapters written, so I hopefully will be able to stay ahead.**

**I LOVE you all! And your reviews, favorites, and alerts! It is all fabulous!**

**As always, I don't own Merlin. Although he is beginning to get so OOC, it's almost like I kind of own this strange new being...**

Chapter Eight: Morgana's Misfortune

Morgana was scared. And not of the thief or the sorcerers the king was constantly warning her of, but of herself. Something strange was happening to her, and she didn't know who to turn to. As long as she could remember she had been having terrible nightmares, most of which had a strange way of coming true. They were growing worse as she grew older, but they were not what was frightening her, no something much worse was happening. She was changing in ways she couldn't understand, and she didn't know who she could trust. Last night she had awoken after a nightmare, screaming, and the candle next to her had flared up, and the curtains hanging from her bed had caught on fire. Of course this wasn't enough, and as she had screamed again, the windows had burst open, spilling shattered glass into her room. The strangest thing was that as they burst she had felt something stir inside of her, and she was sure that it she was the one who broke the window. As she thought about what had happened, she kept asking herself the same question, did she have magic?

At first she had shook it off as being ridiculous, there was no way she could have magic, right? Magic was supposed to be evil, and you had to learn it, at least that's what Uther had told her. But, the more she thought about it, the more certain she became. There was no other solution. She had tried to talk to Gaius about it, but he had dismissed her fears and given her something stronger for her nightmares. That had only served to make her more frightened. She knew something had happened, something more than nightmares, the burnt curtains and broken window where proof, so why wouldn't Gaius even listen to her theory? Nothing else made sense, it had to have been her. But there was no one she could tell, no one who she could trust wouldn't go to the king with her secret. And she knew, that no matter how long Uther had been her guardian, if he thought she had magic he would treat her like he did every other magic user, and she would be dead before sunrise, so she couldn't risk anyone knowing.

When she left Gaius' room she was escorted to the council chambers. All the way there she had been shaking with fear, thinking that Uther had put the pieces together and realized that she must have magic, and therefore she must die. That hadn't been the reason she was summoned though. The king had simply wanted her to tell him everything she remembered from the 'attack'. He seemed to think that Emrys was behind it was determined to use her timely wakefulness as a weapon against him. While the rest of the knights looked serious as they questioned her about the night, Arthur was watching with an amused look. Well, he had been worried about her, but once she had confirmed that she was fine and Uther had started suspecting Emrys Arthur had lost his serious expression and she was almost certain she had seen him chuckle after Uther had suggested that this was possibly an attempt on her 'virtue' by Emrys. She glowered at Arthur for that, thinking that he must be making fun of her. This had directed the king's attention towards his son and he asked, "What do you find so amusing, Arthur?"

Arthur sighed before saying, "Do you really think Emrys would attempt to steal Morgana's virginity? I'm pretty sure that wouldn't help the people at all, and he's been pretty clear that that is his aim ever since he first stole from us. Whatever happened last night, I am certain Emrys had nothing to do with it."

"How can you be so sure, Arthur?" Uther growled, "Do not attempt to fathom the minds of sorcerers, they are twisted creatures who act only to trick us and destroy all that is good. It could very well have been Emrys. He uses magic, so no evil is beyond him."

Morgana tried not to look to suspicious as Uther discussed the evils of magic. She could feel herself start to shake again as she thought of what Uther would do if he ever found out. But, when Arthur spoke he surprised her so much that she stopped shaking, and her jaw had dropped in a very un-lady like way.

"You can't just assume that because he uses magic he is evil. He hasn't hurt anyone before, I don't see why he would start with Morgana. You seem to think that any who use magic are somehow less than human, but they're not, and they don't deserve to be persecuted the way you believe they should be. It's what's lead so many of them to secrecy and trickery, if they don't use what they can, they will die. I believe that Morgana's suggestion was correct, the window must have broken due to natural causes, and the wind that entered must have blown the flame onto the curtain. Not every bad thing that happens is caused by sorcerers."

Did Arthur really believe all of that? Could Uther's own son really believe that magic wasn't evil? And if that was the case, could Morgana tell him what she really thought had happened? He was like a brother to her, they had grown up together, if he really believed all that he just said, he might be willing to help her, and it seemed he definitely wouldn't hand her over to his father. She tried not to show her excitement as Uther berated Arthur for not believing him about the evils of magic. After Arthur had refused to apologize for his outburst he had been escorted back to his chambers, rolling his eyes as he left. Uther continued the interrogation in a huff, eventually sending two knights to search Morgana's room for clues and another group out to the city to see if anyone had seen any suspicious figures that could have been Emrys making his escape. Morgana didn't really want to go back to her room right away, seeing as it was being searched and it reminded her of what happened a little too vividly, so instead she decided to take a risk and go speak with Arthur, and pray he didn't betray her.

* * *

Arthur was bored. This was probably the fifth time this week he had been confined to his chambers after an outburst about the possibility that magic (and Emrys) weren't evil. Still, he couldn't just sit back and let his father insult Merlin like that. Even if it hadn't worked so far, Arthur was going to do everything in his power to become worthy of Merlin's respect. He was thinking for himself, and had decided that it was time someone spoke up for magic. And, as no one else was brave enough to speak to Uther about magic, he had used his protection as crown prince to do just that. He was considering taking a nap when there was a knock at his door and Morgana walked in.

"Come to gloat, Morgana?" Arthur asked, expecting her to taunt him with her freedom while he was stuck inside all day. "Because if that's the case you can leave right now. I would rather be bored out of my mind than put up with your bragging."

"No, Arthur. This is serious. I'm scared, and I don't know who I can trust." Morgana said, her voice trembling. Arthur hadn't expected this, and as he examined Morgana more closely he noticed that she really did look terrified. Chastising himself inwardly for jumping to conclusions, Arthur jumped to Morgana's side and said, "It's okay, Morgana. I won't let anyone hurt you, you know that. Whatever's frightening you, you can tell me. You're like a sister to me, I promise I will protect you."

Morgana looked at him uncertainly, and Arthur wondered what could be so bad that she felt so worried about talking to him. He guided her over to his bed, sitting down beside her and keeping one hand wrapped around her back. "Morgana, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's scaring you. Is it about last night?"

She nodded slowly, and looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. "It was me." She said, her voice barely over a whisper. Arthur was confused, had she lit the candle herself and been too embarrassed to admit it? How could it have been her?

"What do you mean, Morgana? What happened last night?" Arthur asked, trying not to sound suspicious.

"The candle, the window, it was me, I'm sure of it. Arthur, I have magic." Morgana said, her eyes never leaving Arthur's. Arthur frowned, she looked so sure of herself, but how was this possible? How could she have magic? That just didn't seem possible, he had grown up with her, and never before had she shown any traces of magic. But she obviously wasn't joking. She looked absolutely horrified.

"You don't believe me, do you? Why does no one believe me? I know what happened." Morgana said, fear turning into anger, and desperation.

"No, I believe you." Arthur said, trying not to hide his doubt, "I'm just a little surprised. Do you think you could tell me exactly what you think happened."

Morgana clung to his arm as she told her story, her eyes growing slightly unfocused. "I was asleep, and I had a nightmare. When I woke up the candle was lit, and I know it was out when I went to sleep. I was scared, and as I looked at the flames they started to climb higher and higher. There was no one else there, I'm certain of it. It was like my fear was causing the fire to grow, until it caught the curtain and started to spread on its own. When I screamed the window burst. The window burst outwards, Arthur, it had to have been me. I used magic, I don't know how, but I did. Please, Arthur I'm scared. I don't know what to do."

Arthur nodded slowly, looking into her eyes, trying to figure out what he could do to reassure her. The one thing he knew was that they had to keep this a secret, they couldn't let Uther find out about this. "Alright," Arthur said slowly, "Everything is going to be ok, don't worry Morgana. We'll figure this out."

"I'm not a monster, am I? I didn't want this, Arthur. It just happened, I don't know why." Morgana said, still clinging on to Arthur.

"Of course you're not, Morgana. Uther is wrong about magic, it is not evil, and neither are you. Everything is going to be alright." Arthur said, holding her and rubbing her back soothingly.

"What if it happens again?" Morgana asked, her voice barely over a whisper. "What if it happens again and I can't control it? I could hurt someone, Arthur."

"You won't, Morgana. We just need to learn how you can control it. All we have to do is find someone else who can use magic who will teach you." As Arthur said this, he realized something. There was only one person he knew who could use magic, and would be willing to help them. Morgana looked at him like he was crazy as she said, "But I'm Uther Pendragon's ward. Who would teach me about magic?"

"Emrys." Arthur said with a smile, and receiving a skeptical look from Morgana.

* * *

It had taken Arthur a while to convince Morgana that he wasn't crazy and that he actually had a plan. It had taken longer for them to find a time when they would be able to sneak out of Camelot without Uther being suspicious. Everyone in the castle had been on high alert ever since Morgana had been 'attacked' in the night. She and Arthur had looked for books on magic to try to help her, but there had been nothing. Apparently all the books on magic had been purged from the city along with the magic users. Uther had increased the patrols and security measures, certain that Emrys had been behind the attack and that the extra precautions would finally catch the thief, but had so far been unsuccessful. It had taken about two weeks for the king to finally calm down enough to allow Arthur and Morgana to leave the palace (he was worried for Morgana's safety, and Arthur was kept inside as a punishment for arguing with practically everything Uther said). Arthur had tried to keep his opinion to himself so they would be able to get out sooner, but it had been difficult with his father on a rampage against Emrys. When they had both allowed out, they had taken their horses and ridden out into the woods in search of help for Morgana. Of course they hadn't told their true mission to Uther, saying instead Morgana wanted to get out to take her mind off of all that had happened. It had taken Arthur a while to remember where he had been carried by Percival after being 'knocked out', but eventually he had recognized the surrounding area and had guiding Morgana to where he hoped Merlin's camp would still be.

When the trees became too thick for their horses, they dismounted and continued on foot, and Arthur became more and more certain they were headed in the right direction. Arthur had begun calling out Merlin's name, hoping that they were getting close, but there was no reply, and he was starting to worry that they had moved their camp since he had talked with him. Morgana was still looking at him as if he was slightly crazy, but he knew he was on the right track. He was about to go backtrack, see if he noticed something that would help them get on the right path again, when he heard something rustling in the bushes. "Merlin?" Arthur asked, edging closer to the bushes. When the bushes behind them began to rustle Arthur started to think that whatever this was it might not have been Merlin. "Gwaine? Percival? Lancelot?" Arthur asked, getting quite nervous as the rustling seemed to surround them. He pulled out his sword and pushed Morgana behind his back, getting ready to attack whatever was moving around them. Morgana had also pulled out a blade, and was looking quite fearsome, even though some of the terror still remained in her eyes. What came out of the bushes definitely wasn't Merlin, although it did remind him of their first encounter. A giant scorpion-like creature was inching towards them, clicking its claws together and almost hissing. It was larger than the one from Arthur's memories, and was soon joined by about twenty others, and the noises they were making filled the woods, causing Arthur to tremble slightly. Arthur tried to defend them with his sword but he knew he wouldn't last long against so many of these creatures. He yelled in fear as one broke through his defenses and was about to latch on to his arm with one of its giant pinchers when a great wind blew through the forest, knocking the beasts backwards. Arthur pulled Morgana down to protect her from the winds and the monsters, so he couldn't see what had caused it until he looked up and saw Merlin smiling a slightly lopsided grin at him.

"You're right, Merlin. He does scream like a little girl." Gwaine said, appearing at Merlin's shoulder. Merlin chuckled slightly before turning to Arthur and saying, "Arthur, what are you doing out here?"

"And why are you so close to our camp?" Percival asked, pulling out his sword and pointing it at him and Morgana, who was currently staring wide-eyed at the men who had just arrived.

"And who is your lovely lady-friend?" Gwaine asked, smiling devilishly at Morgana and swishing his hair around. Arthur glared at him before saying, "We were looking for you, Merlin. The LADY MORGANA" Arthur emphasized these words and glared at Gwaine, hoping that he got the message and backed off, "needs your help. Do you think we could talk somewhere a little safer?"

"Um.. sure." Merlin replied still looking a bit confused but also slightly amused. "Percival, put away your sword, it's just Arthur, he's not going to hurt us. And Gwaine, behave yourself."

Percival glared at Arthur and put his sword away before following Merlin. Gwaine winked at Morgana before doing the same. Lancelot gave them both a little bow and told them the camp was just over the hill before offering Morgana a hand to help her over a log. Arthur wondered if it wasn't Gwaine but Lancelot he should be worried about where Morgana was concerned, as she turned back to him and whispered, "Are you sure we can trust them? They seem a bit… strange."

"Morgana, don't worry. Merlin will be able to help you, I promise. And we can trust them. They've captured me twice, and left me unharmed both times. They won't hurt you." Arthur said, holding her hand and leading her into the camp by the cave.

"I thought you said you were taking me to Emrys?" Morgana said, sounding quite suspicious of everything that was going on.

"I did. And I have. Merlin is Emrys." Arthur said as they reached the small clearing. Percival was sitting on a rock, watching him and Morgana while Merlin and Lancelot rummaged through their small food supply and Gwaine spread out a blanket from one of their bed rolls, before lying on it suggestively, and padding the spot next to him while smiling at Morgana.

"Which one is Merlin?" Morgana said, looking around the camp with fear and a bit of skepticism.

"The small one." Arthur said, pointing across the camp to Merlin and Lancelot. Morgana nodded as Merlin shouted in indignation, "The small one? Really, Arthur is that what you think of me?"

"Well, I was going to say the one with abnormally large ears but I figured you wouldn't like that." Arthur replied with a smile. It was way too much fun to mess with Merlin.

"Why didn't you say the handsome one, or the one with the gorgeous blue eyes or how about the one who just saved your royal arses from a nest or serkets?" Merlin replied with an almost angry voice, but Arthur could tell it was more of a tease than anything else.

"Have you seen your friends? Not sure if saying handsome would really narrow it down. And seeing as we were a little preoccupied with the serkets or whatever they were, we didn't notice exactly who cast the spell. And you have to admit, you are quite a bit smaller than Percival." Arthur said, smiling at the man who still didn't seem to trust him.

"Everyone's smaller than Percival." Merlin mumbled before turning to Morgana and saying, "Lady Morgana, Arthur said you need my help. May I ask what the problem is?"

Morgana looked slightly unsure as Merlin extended a hand and said, "Don't worry, I don't bite."

"I do!" Gwaine interjected, earning a glare from Arthur and a growled "Gwaine…" from Merlin, but Gwaine ignored their angry glares and continued, saying, "But only if your into that sort of thing."

Morgana blushed a little and her eyes widen a bit. "Ignore him." Merlin said leading her away from the blanket Gwaine had spread out on the ground. When they were far enough from Gwaine that Morgana had relaxed a little, Merlin waved his hand that wasn't currently guiding Morgana and whispered a string of strange words. As he did the sticks from the forest floor began to twist together and rise until they had formed two beautiful chairs. Merlin offered one to Morgana before taking the other and saying, "What does the ward of Uther Pendragon need me for?"

Morgana glanced nervously back at Arthur who nodded before saying, "I think I have magic. I need help controlling it, I didn't know who to turn to. Arthur said you could help me, so please, please teach me what I can do to stop myself before I hurt someone. I'll give you anything if you help me."

Merlin glanced quickly back at Arthur, a serious expression on his face before he turned back to Morgana and said, "You don't need to worry. I will help you in any way I can, and I require no payment. Magic is a wonderful gift, no matter what anyone has told you in the past. Now, I need you to tell me exactly what happened to make you think you have magic, can you do that?"

Morgana nodded, and began to tell her story. It was amazing to watch Merlin talk with someone else. He was so patient with Morgana, holding her hand the entire way through the story. His eyes never left hers, and he didn't try to rush her along or look frustrated when she stumbled over the parts of the story that scared her. When she was done he said, "You don't need to be afraid, Morgana. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, do you understand that?" Morgana nodded hesitantly and Merlin continued saying, "Magic is everywhere, in every tree, rock, animal, and person. Yes, even Uther Pendragon has magic flowing in his veins. For most though, harnessing that power is nearly impossible, and it takes years of training and study to perform even the simplest of spells. For others, it is natural, and can be used to do incredible things that would be impossible without it, like healing the sick, keeping crops healthy, and protecting others from harm. You have been given an amazing gift, which you can use however you like. Once you learn how to control it, you will be able to do some spectacular things, and your powers won't hurt anyone, as long as you don't want them to. Not to brag, but I have had my powers for far longer than you have had yours, and I have never hurt anyone before. Sometimes when I get angry or sad they will react to my emotions, but that doesn't happen often. It is scary when they first emerge, and I can't imagine how terrifying it must be for someone who was raised by Uther Pendragon, but you've got to understand that it doesn't change who you are or who you will be. You've done good things in the past, so your powers will help you do more good things in the future. Do you think you are ready to learn a simple spell?"

Arthur was amazed by the way Merlin handled Morgana. Where he had been clueless, Merlin was sure, it seemed he knew exactly what she needed to hear as he began to teach her what to say and do in order to use her powers. As he watched them he tried to figure out how Merlin fit into his life. Was he an advisor? An enemy? A friend? Nothing made sense. And now, as he watched Merlin teach Morgana, he wondered if it was possible that he was something even greater than all of those things. Apparently they had made some progress as Morgana gave him a nervous look before holding out her hand and whispering a string of the words Arthur couldn't understand. As she finished, a strange light grew above her palm. It was green, and looked like a tiny sun, as it turned slowly above her hand. She looked up at Arthur with a huge smile on her face, the first in what seemed to be weeks, before turning back to Merlin. He gave her some more instructions and soon the ball was growing and shrinking as Morgana stretched her fingers apart and pulled them back together again. Arthur had been watching her so closely that he hadn't noticed when Merlin's gaze had switched to him, smiling happily as Arthur watched Morgana use her magic for the first time. Arthur eventually did realize though, and his eyes met Merlin's for a moment, and he couldn't explain the strange feeling he got as Merlin smiled at him. It was as if, just for this moment, everything in the universe was the way it was meant to be. Then Merlin turned back to Morgana and the feeling was gone. Arthur couldn't keep his eyes from the warlock as he taught Morgana more, and showed what his own powers could do. Soon the camp was filled with pulsing, multi-colored balls of light as Morgana perfected that spell and released her powers in the form of the beautiful, glowing, orbs. It was strange to think his father hated magic so much when it could be used so innocently to make such beautiful objects. While Merlin had been teaching Lancelot had gotten some food prepared and had handed each member of the group a bowl of soup which they were all eating as they watched the lights float through the camp. Merlin set his bowl down first, turned to Morgana and said, "If you want me to keep teaching you we can meet somewhere for lessons. I hope you would understand why I don't want you coming back to our camp, but there are other places we can go. We would just need to establish a time you could get away from the castle without being noticed."

"I'm not going back." Morgana said, sounding dead serious.

"Morgana," Arthur said taking a hold of her hand, "you have to come back. Think what Uther would do if you went missing."

"I can't go back there." She replied, shaking her head. "Don't you get it, if I do, I'll die. Uther will kill me. I can't go back."

Arthur was about to argue but stopped as Merlin glared at him then turned to Morgana. "If that is what you want, then that is fine, but I can't let you stay with us, either. There is a Druid tribe not far from here, I could take you there, if you would like that. They could help teach you, and you would be safe from Uther and anyone else who might want to harm you."

"Are you sure they won't hurt me?" Morgana said, looking up at Merlin with fear.

"I'm certain of it, Morgana. The Druids are a very peaceful people, they will not harm you." Merlin said, smiling gently at Morgana. Arthur thought about trying to persuade Morgana to come back, but he realized that he had no idea what she was going through right now, and Merlin might, so he probably knew what he was doing. Plus, Morgana was more stubborn than a mule. If she had made her mind up it wasn't changing, not for anything.

"Even though I'm Uther Pendragons' ward?" Morgana asked, looking at Merlin as if he might not have realized this and might attack her because of it.

"You did not choose to be Uther's ward, just as you did not choose to have magic. The Druids will not hurt you for that which is beyond your control. They taught me the importance of working to help all others, no matter who they are, so they wouldn't hurt you. I promise, nothing bad will happen to you there." Merlin said, looking directly at Morgana. Morgana nodded, still looking slightly uncertain, but said, "I would like to meet these Druids."

Merlin smiled at her, the smile that warmed Arthur's heart each time he saw it, and said, "Good. We can go there after we eat. Now, I have one more question for you, what does dear old Uther Pendragon think happened when you used your magic? I'm guessing he doesn't know that was you, right?"

"No." Morgana said, staring into the fire. As she didn't seem like she was going to finish answering Merlin's question, Arthur said, "He may think you tried to break into the castle."

"Me?" Merlin said in surprise. "Why would Emrys break into Lady Morgana's chambers? You don't secretly hoard your gold in there, do you?"

"No," Arthur said slowly, "Uther might think that you were planning on stealing something other than gold."

"Like what?" Merlin asked, Arthur couldn't help but think his innocence was a little cute. Could he really not guess what Uther would think he would be doing breaking into the chambers of one of the most beautiful women in Camelot?

"Well, he sort of figured you were trying to steal her virtue." Arthur said, trying to suppress a grin. Morgana obviously didn't find it quite as amusing as she was blushing and had her eyes fixed on the ground. Merlin apparently felt similarly to Arthur, as he spit out all of the soup he had in his mouth on Lancelot. Gwaine started laughing boisterously, and Percival was smiling, but if that was at Lancelot's soup-covered face or Uther's assumption it was hard to tell. Merlin eventually recovered and turned to Morgana, saying, "I'm sorry. That was rude, I didn't mean to insult you, you are extraordinarily beautiful, don't get me wrong, but that's just really not my style, I steal gold, not, well, that." Merlin ended gesturing at Morgana and making her blush deepen.

"And you're not exactly Merlin's type." Gwaine said, still chuckling a little.

"What, don't like beautiful women?" Arthur teased, glad for the lightened atmosphere and more than slightly interested in Merlin's type, now that it was brought up.

"Well, not beautiful _women._" Gwaine said, causing Merlin to blush. "He's more into beautiful men, like me, and if the rumors are true, Percival."

"Wait a minute, are you saying that Merlin and Percival…" Arthur asked with a smile. There was a tiny amount of jealousy curling in the pit of his stomach, but seeing the way Percival and Merlin blushed was just too much fun.

"They don't like to talk about it much, but I found a way to weasel some information out of them. Take it from me, Arthur, with a tankard of ale and a good hairdo you can learn anything." Gwaine said, smiling at him and swishing his hair about.

Arthur laughed as Merlin said, "Need I remind both of you that I can turn you into frogs, or rats, or bunnies…"

"Bunnies?" Lancelot asked, looking at Merlin with confusion. He seemed to be the only one who hadn't been affected by this conversation, everyone else was either blushing or breathless from laughter.

"They're not as innocent as they look!" Merlin replied, his eyes wide. A second of silence later, he burst into incredibly infectious laughter, taking the rest of the group with him. Arthur smiled at Morgana as they all finally stopped laughing, she looked so happy. The haunted look that had been in her eyes since she had discovered her magic had practically vanished.

"So, my past love life aside, should we be on our way?" Merlin said, standing up and extending his hand to Morgana to help her to her feet. Morgana nodded and accepted the hand, rising and brushing off her dress gracefully. Arthur stood as well, and received an awkward glance from Merlin, who said, "I'm sorry, Arthur, but you probably shouldn't come with us. I don't think the Druids would be too pleased to see you."

Arthur felt his stomach drop. He didn't want to leave Merlin yet, and he needed to be sure that Morgana would be safe and happy wherever she was. "Why not? I thought you said the Druids wouldn't hurt anyone?"

Merlin frowned and said, "I don't think they would hurt you, but they might be a little frightened of the Prince of Camelot, and for good reason, Arthur. Many of them are survivors from the tribes you destroyed."

Arthur blushed. He felt like he was five again and had to stay inside with his tutors while the other children went out to play. But, Merlin had a point, he didn't exactly have the best record with the Druids. Still, he couldn't just let Morgana wander off into the woods without him. He would do whatever it took, so he gave Merlin his best serious look and said, "I know what I did was wrong, and I don't expect them to forgive me, but I need to know Morgana will be safe there. I trust you, but I want to see for myself. I will do whatever you say if you let me come."

Merlin stared into his eyes for a moment before he smiled a smile that looked both very proud of him and slightly sinister all at the same time. "Did you bring a horse?" he asked, still smiling.

"Yes… Why is that important?" Arthur asked, getting slightly nervous.

"Because Percival might get slightly tired if he had to carry you the entire way." Merlin replied, giving him a cheeky grin.

"Carry me?" Arthur said, starting to get where Merlin was going with this. "You're going to knock me out again, aren't you?"

Merlin just smiled apologetically at him before he whispered a few words and Arthur felt his eyes roll backwards as he fell to the ground, asleep.


	9. Chapter 9: The Druid Camp

**AN: Not that you all care, but this chapter was uploaded from my new dorm! YAY! ok, anyhoo, don't have a lot to say in this an. I promise, the next thing I update will be Mirror Mirror. This one is just a bit easier to update as I'm approximately four chapters ahead. In case you were curious, chapter 13 is a dozy.**

**Thanks as always for the support! I really do appretiate all the reviews, favorites, and alerts. This fic has almost passed all my others on everything but views, we can totally do it ;)**

**And as always, I don't own Merlin. Sorry, nothing witty today. Maybe next time :)**

Chapter Nine: The Druid Camp

When Arthur woke he was leaning back against a tree, near two horses, with Morgana, Gwaine, Percival, Lancelot, and Merlin smiling down at him. His head was still spinning a little as Merlin said, "Ah, good. You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, but I'm really starting to get tired of that spell." Arthur said, trying to pull himself into a standing position. He made it up, but it didn't seem his body wanted him to stay that way as he began to tilt forward, swaying dangerously back towards the ground. Luckily Merlin and Percival were there to catch him and set him right before he ended up with a mouthful of dirt. He shook his head a bit and said, "So, where is this Druid tribe, then?"

"Not far," Merlin said, looking slightly more serious, "But we need you to put this on first." and thrusting a long, dark cloak into Arthur's hands.

"Are you serious?" Arthur said, holding up the cloak.

Merlin nodded at him and said, "If you want to come with us, you need to wear that. I don't want the people freaking out and running when they see who you are. It was either that or dressing you as an old man or a woman."

"I personally voted for the woman option." Gwaine said with a smile. Arthur glared at him and quickly pulled the cloak on. It hid his face but he was still able to see clearly. Merlin pulled the hood back and said, "Before we go, I need to know that you aren't going to do anything stupid, and no matter what you will not report anything you see here back to your father or any of the knights. Do you understand? I lost my home to Uther Pendragon once, I am damn well not going to lose it again."

Merlin's gaze was deadly serious as he spoke. Arthur had to admit that he was a little afraid of him. He gulped and said, "I swear, Merlin. I would never give any of your secrets away."

Merlin held his gaze for a moment, as if trying to see into Arthur's mind to know he was telling the truth. The rest of the group was silent as Merlin kept his eyes glued on Arthur's. Eventually he did pull away smiling and said, "Good. Then, let's go."

Arthur pulled his hood back on and followed Merlin and the other's through and incredibly dense part of the forest. As the trees began to clear, Arthur saw a conglomeration of small huts and tents with shabbily dressed people walking between them. It was hard to imagine Morgana fitting in here, but the smile on her face showed that she obviously disagreed with that thought. As they got closer, all the people stopped what they were doing to great Merlin. All of them were treating him with extreme respect, almost like what he got from the people of Camelot, except it was somehow much greater than that. They didn't seem respect him because they were told to, or it was their position, they all genuinely looked completely enamored by Merlin. He smiled awkwardly at them, accepting the gifts many of them were hoisting on him and comforting those who came to him with problems. It was surreal to watch. This was what a leader should be, not someone who took over and ruled with strength and intimidation, but someone who the people really loved and who loved them right back. Arthur recognized the Collin's, who gave Merlin a loaf of bread before thanking him for everything and letting him pass. Arthur couldn't help but wonder how many of these people had been saved by Merlin at some point in their lives.

And then there were the children. The second they saw Merlin, they would run up to him, ask him to do magic for them, or play with them, or listen to their stories, and he did. Each one left him glowing with happiness, and Arthur couldn't help but be impressed. He had never been good with children, so seeing how easily Merlin interacted with them was awe-inspiring to him. Eventually, after playing with lots of children, taking quite a few gifts (many of which were flowers, that somehow all looked incredibly good on Merlin, not too girly at all, making him look more and more like a faye, a spirit who should be inhabiting the forests but had come out of hiding to help the people who needed him, and who was to say he wasn't), and helping quite a few ailing Druids, the group lead by Merlin reached the town square, where a Druid who looked too young for his white hair was talking with two older men outside one of the larger huts.

"Iseldir," Merlin called out, causing the white-haired man to turn, "I was wondering if we could have a word with you." Merlin had indicated Morgana when he said we, which seemed to give Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine permission to do whatever they wanted. Gwaine went and started flirting with a group of girls who had given Merlin some bright blue flowers when they passed. Percival went and hugged a different girl, who Arthur assumed was one of his three sisters. She had been one of the few who had called Merlin Merlin, not Emrys. Lancelot came over to stand with Arthur, which made Arthur feel quite relieved, seeing as he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

"How are you doing, Sire?" Lancelot asked, polite as always.

"I'm fine, and you really don't have to call me sire. Arthur works just fine. I can't say I really feel much like royalty after watching Merlin with the Druids." Arthur replied.

"He is something special. The people love him. I'm still surprised they let him leave." Lancelot replied, watching Merlin and Isledir talk to Morgana.

"Why would he want to leave? He seems so happy here." Arthur asked.

"I suppose, but he can only handle it in small doses." Lancelot said, "He tries to avoid coming here if at all possible. He doesn't want to be treated like anything special, but with all the legends about Emrys the Druids have always kind of worshipped him. I think it gets quite overwhelming. He does really like seeing the children though."

Arthur was silent as he thought about that. The more he thought the more he realized he knew exactly how Merlin felt. He used to dream about running away from Camelot, becoming a farmer somewhere far away where no one knew he was the son of Uther Pendragon, and there was no bowing or proper ways to address others, just simply living, getting by on what he made, not what other gave him. It must have been worse for Merlin than it had ever been for him; these people believed he would be the one to save them from persecution. They didn't even call him by his name, the only thing he had left from his parents. Arthur felt a sudden sorrow for the four year old Merlin who lost everything only to get such a weighty burden in return. Other people's hopes were often much heavier than they cared to realize.

After he had thought for quite some time, Arthur turned to Lancelot and asked, "So, Iseldir, he raised Merlin after he lost his parents, right?"

"Yeah. He's the closest thing to family Merlin seems to have. Well, besides Percival. They pretty much are brothers, no matter how different they look." Lancelot answered, with a smile. After they watched Merlin, Morgana, and Iseldir talk for a while, Merlin turned back to them and waved Arthur over.

"Looks like Merlin wants you to meet Iseldir. You should probably go over there." Lancelot said.

"Is this where you all turn out to be completely evil, and this was just some crazy scheme to get me into this camp so you could have the Druids murder me?" Arthur asked, for some reason feeling incredibly nervous about talking to the man who was the closest thing Merlin had to a father.

"Why don't you go find out?" Lancelot teased and then pushed Arthur forward. Arthur stumbled slightly before righting himself and walking over to the group of magic users.

"So, Arthur Pendragon, Emrys has told me that you are quite different from your father. He seems to believe that you will bring peace to our lands. Is his trust well-placed?" Iseldir asked. Merlin was blushing slightly as he spoke, and Morgana was watching him, waiting for the answers like it was the secret to eternal life.

"I will do everything I can to be a fair and just leader. Merlin, er.. Emrys has shown me that magic is not the evil my father believes it to be. I hope that I can bring the peace your people deserve." Arthur answered, his gaze flickering between all three of them. Merlin was smiling at him, which somehow made Arthur feel stronger, braver, and more capable to do what was required of him.

"I am glad to hear this, Arthur Pendragon. You can bring peace to this land without there needing to be any violence. I am guessing that Emrys already made you swear to secrecy, but I must also implore you not to tell your father of anything you see today. We do not seek to destroy your father's kingdom, we only seek to survive. Our people cannot continue to fight King Uther's armies. We will be destroyed."

"I promise you, I will do nothing that could put you at any risk. I don't even know where we are right now, so you shouldn't worry too much." Arthur replied, hoping Iseldir could hear the honesty in his voice.

"Good. Then, I think we should discuss the Lady Morgana's future with you."

"Morgana," Arthur said, "Do you want to stay here?" Morgana nodded quickly and said "Yes." a huge smile on her face. Arthur then turned to Iseldir, "Iseldir, would you allow Morgana to stay here with you so she can learn about her magic and how to control it?"

"Of course." Iseldir said with a smile at Morgana.

"Then, it seems everything should be fine. As long as Morgana is safe, which I believe she will be here, then she should do whatever she feels is best." Arthur said, still wishing that Morgana would have chosen to come back with him. Camelot wasn't going to be the same without her constant teasing.

"You both realize that this will have to be the last time you see each other for quite a while." Iseldir said, "It won't be safe for Arthur to come here, especially once Uther realizes Lady Morgana is gone."

Arthur and Morgana both nodded. Morgana smiled at him and then turned to Iseldir and said, "Please, I am no longer a lady of the court. Just call me Morgana."

"If that is what you wish, Morgana." Iseldir said. This seemed to bother Merlin slightly as he turned to Iseldir and said, "Why don't you call me Merlin? Why does she get to choose what she wants to be called and I don't?"

"Sometimes I wonder whether the prophecies were correct." Iseldir said with a sigh. "Emrys, you sound like a five year old. You're name gives us hope, do not take that from us."

Merlin just rolled his eyes and winked at Arthur. Again, Arthur couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like for Merlin growing up here. He thought he had been under a lot of pressure, but this sounded ridiculous. He couldn't even be called his own name, simply to give others hope?

"I would like to speak with Morgana alone for a moment, and when I am done I think it will be time for you two to say your goodbyes." Iseldir said to Arthur, before guiding Morgana into the house they had been standing in front of. Merlin turned and smiled at Arthur and asked, "So, does this village get the official Arthur Pendragon seal of approval?"

"Yeah." Arthur said, looking around. "As long as Morgana is safe and happy, it should be great. Although I don't know what she will do without her piles of dresses and masses of jewelry."

Merlin chuckled a little before saying, "It will be quite the adjustment. Still, the people here are good. They will look after her. And there is no better person to learn magic from then Iseldir. He did teach me after all."

"I don't know whether that should reassure me or not. Does that mean Morgana is going to start stealing from us as well?"

Merlin laughed at that. "No. Don't you remember? I'm special."

Arthur chuckled a little as he remembered the younger Merlin saying that with so much pride. Apparently Merlin hadn't changed all that much. "Yes. You really are. You're kind of amazing."

"Thanks." Merlin mumbled, blushing again. "So are you. You could have turned Morgana in, but you didn't. And for her to have trusted you, am I right in assuming you may have been slightly more vocal about your new views on magic?"

"I guess so. All it's accomplished so far is that I have spent way too much time locked up in my chambers." Arthur said with a sigh.

"That not quite true, Arthur. Morgana might not have come to you if you hadn't spoken up earlier. Even if your daddy did put you in time out." Merlin said, pinching Arthur's cheek as he finished.

Arthur swatted his hand away and laughed. They were both silent for a moment before Arthur said, "So, was it true what Gwaine said, about you and Percival?"

This caused Merlin to blush a bright red and look down at his feet. Eventually he did reply, saying "Well, yeah. I mean, we were young and really good friends, so we tried a few things. But it ended up being slightly awkward as I really do see him as a brother and he feels the same way."

Arthur looked at Percival. It was hard to imagine him with Merlin, Percival looked like he could crush Merlin with a hug. "And what about Gwaine?"

Merlin's blush was currently reaching his ears, as he replied, "Um, yeah. In my defense I was slightly drunk and he is really good looking. It was just a one night thing though. Gwaine will sleep with anything with two legs and a pulse, so it was going to happen at some point."

Arthur felt vaguely jealous and didn't know if he wanted to know the answer to this question but asked anyways, "So, have you been with Lancelot as well?"

"No." Merlin said quickly. "Not that Lancelot isn't gorgeous, he's just not exactly all that into men. Plus, if you haven't noticed, he's kind of the model of a polite gentleman. I've never understood how he and Gwaine get on so well, but they really do. I think he's probably one of the few people I know who is over twenty and hasn't slept with Gwaine, but they spend more time together than about anyone else."

As if to prove Merlin right, Lancelot had joined Gwaine in talking to the group of girls down the path from them. Apparently Merlin had decided he wanted to get back at Arthur for the personal questions as he asked, "What about you? Any special lady in your life?"

Arthur coughed, not sure what to say to this. He looked at Merlin and he knew what he wanted. All throughout the day he had pondered his relationship with the warlock, and he had eventually come to a conclusion. He liked Merlin. More than he had liked anyone else in the past. He wasn't sure if it was exactly love as he had never been in love before, but then again, he had never felt this way about anyone else. "Um, no. And I'm not sure there ever will be. My father has been trying to push me and Morgana together for ages, but that never worked. She's like my sister, I could never see her in any other way. And, well, I'm not sure women are my thing, exactly. Father keeps introducing me to 'the loveliest ladies in the land' and none of them have caught my eye. I suppose I have fooled around with a couple of the knights, but never anything more than that."

"Really?" Merlin replied, sounding surprised. "But, I mean, you're so…"

"So what, Merlin?" Arthur asked, smiling at Merlin's discomfort. Was it possible that Merlin was starting to feel the same way towards him? Merlin's blush began to return as he waved his hand at Arthur and said, "So perfect. I mean, you're the best knight in Camelot for a reason, you're well-built, lots of muscles, and your hair kind of makes it look like you always have a halo, and don't even get me started on your eyes-"

Arthur decided that this was enough. It was kind of obvious now that Merlin had some type of feelings for him now, so he did what he wanted to do, and damn the consequences. Just before Merlin could describe his eyes he leaned forward and sealed Merlin's lips with a kiss. Merlin's eyes went comically wide for a moment before they fluttered closed and he started kissing Arthur back. Arthur could feel his long fingers creeping along his back, until there was a noise behind them and Merlin jumped away, shouting, "Iseldir!"

Arthur turned in the direction Merlin was looking and felt a blush creep across his face. "Morgana!" He shouted, as she smirked back at him. He was suddenly quite glad he was wearing the cloak. At least this way everyone wouldn't noticed that he had gone about as red as Merlin's ears currently were going. Iseldir just smiled at the two of them and said, "I see why Emrys trusts you. I am sorry, but it is time for you to say goodbye to Morgana, Arthur. She will be well taken care of here, do not worry."

Arthur nodded as Iseldir steered Merlin away from him and Morgana. Merlin gave him a quick smile before turning to Iseldir, leaving Arthur to say his goodbyes. Before he could, though, Morgana spoke up, saying, "Arthur, I can never thank you enough for what you did. If it hadn't been for you, I would have been all alone in a kingdom that kills everyone like me for simply existing. I think I can almost see what Merlin sees in you. Thank him for me, will you? And be kind to him, he deserves happiness more than most."

"I know." Arthur said, looking back at Merlin and smiling. He then turned back to Morgana and said, "I will miss you Morgana. Camelot just won't be the same without you. I'm not sure how I will survive all of Uther's speeches if you're not there to endure them with me."

"I'm going to miss you as well, Arthur. But we will see each other again, I am sure of it." Morgana said, then pulled Arthur into a hug. Arthur still wasn't used to getting hugged, so he stayed stiff for a moment before relaxing and hugging her back. They stayed like this for a moment before Arthur pulled away and said, "I should probably go before Uther sends out the search parties."

Morgana nodded and said, "Be careful Arthur."

Arthur nodded and said, "Stay safe Morgana." before letting Morgana walk over to where Iseldir was waiting while he went to join Merlin, Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot. Gwaine was obviously teasing Merlin, as Merlin had gone bright red, and Arthur figured he had a pretty good idea of what that teasing was about. He wasn't looking forward to getting his own share, and was glad when Merlin waved his hand, and Gwaine's voice stopped. He kept mouthing words and trying to get the other's attention, but there was no noise. Arthur smiled and walked up to them, saying, "Maybe you should make that spell permanent."

That got him a glare from Gwaine and a chuckle from Merlin who said, "I would, but that would just be a little too cruel. Gwaine is rather found of the sound of his own voice."

Gwaine's glare shifted towards Merlin as they made their way out of the Druid village. Once again they had to fight through Merlin's admirers to get away, but they eventually made it back to Arthur's horse, where Merlin used the same spell to put him back to sleep.

* * *

When Arthur awoke again, he was in a familiar part of the forest, and Merlin was smiling down at him. He knew that Camelot was close by, and as the sun was still up he would still have a little time before he needed to be back, so he planned to make the most of it. He sat up quickly, causing his head to spin as he tried to regain his equilibrium.

"Careful, Arthur. We don't want you to knock yourself out." Merlin said, steadying Arthur and helping him to his feet. When they were standing face to face, Merlin blushed again and looked down at his feet. Arthur reached forward and pulled Merlin's chin up so his beautiful blue eyes met Arthur's.

"Merlin," Arthur started, "you know how I said you were kind of amazing? Well I wasn't kidding. Seeing you today made it clear to me that there is no one in this world like you. You are extremely patient, understanding, and kind. And you are beautiful, inside and out. I didn't know that it was possible for anyone's heart to be so big that an entire kingdom could fit in it, but that was before I met you. You have every right to hate me, but somehow you don't and I couldn't be more grateful for that. I feel so lucky to have gotten to know you, but now that I do I want so much more. I, well, I think I love you Merlin. I don't really know what that means, or what we can do about it, but I do. I haven't been able to think about anything but you for weeks, and hearing about how you were with both Percival and Gwaine made me more jealous than I could have possibly expected. I know that this is way too much to be asking of you, but-"

This time it was Merlin's turn to cut Arthur off with a kiss. Arthur returned the kiss greedily, it was perfect. Merlin fit against him like a key in a lock, and Arthur knew they were meant to be. When they finally stopped, both slightly flushed and breathless, Merlin smiled and said, "I can't believe I just kissed the prince of Camelot!"

Arthur smiled back and said, "So, does this mean you feel the same?"

Merlin just laughed, his head tilted back exposing his long, pale neck. "Yeah, I suppose it does, even if the other's will never stop teasing me for this, I think I love you Arthur Pendragon."

"Thank god. I think I might have gone crazy if you said you didn't." Arthur replied.

"I'm pretty sure you have gone crazy." Merlin replied with a smile, "I'm pretty sure the entire world has gone mad, because I am in love with Arthur Pendragon and he loves me back."

"That would be one explanation for this." Arthur said, leaning against Merlin. They stayed silent and pressed together for a moment before Arthur said, "What I am going to tell my father?"

"You're not planning on letting him know that his greatest enemy is in love with his son, are you?" Merlin asked, looking at him and raising one eyebrow.

"No." Arthur replied, "I don't think he would take that news very well. I meant what am I going to tell him about Morgana?"

"Ah. Well that is a problem, isn't it." Merlin said, one of his hands creeping down to grab onto Arthur's. "She doesn't want to be found. Maybe you should tell him she is dead. In a way, the Lady Morgana _is_ gone. She's someone new now."

Arthur nodded and said, "Thanks to you." squeezing Merlin's hand. "Are those beasts that attacked us deadly?"

"The serkets? Yeah, I suppose they are. And that way Uther wouldn't have any reason to send his forcing into the forest where they might stumble across me or, gods forbid, the Druid camp."

"Then that's what I will tell him." Arthur said, blinking slowly and trying to prepare himself for telling this story.

"You did the right thing, Arthur." Merlin said, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hand.

"I know." Arthur replied, leaning against Merlin. "When will I get to see you again?"

Merlin sighed and said, "I don't know. Soon, if I have anything to say about it. Iseldir thinks I'm correct in thinking that you are the Once and Future King, and the Great Dragon pretty much confirmed it, so we should be seeing a great deal of each other in the future."

"I look forward to it." Arthur said with a smile.

"Me too." Merlin added, "Now, you really should be getting back. Uther will be upset enough as it is. I wish I could make this easier for you, Arthur. I wish I could be by your side always, but not yet."

"I will be fine." Arthur said, not quite sure he believed it, "I love you Merlin. Please, stay safe for me."

Merlin nodded and kissed Arthur once more before Arthur turned and walked back to his castle, alone.


	10. Chapter 10: Leon Learns the Truth

**AN: Hello! I uploaded a chapter of Mirror Mirror which means I get to upload a chapter of this again too, right?**

**Ok, so this story is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy to much fun to write. I may be writing chapter fifteen, and it may be distracting me from homework and social activities and all that stuff... Whoops.**

**Anyhoo, chapter ten. What you should know. I love Leon. Not as much as Gwaine, but still. He is immortal, and needed to get into this fic. So now I just have to figure out Elyan, and we've got all the knights of the round table ;)**

**Still loving all the reviews, favorites, alerts and views! But, you know, you never can have too much of a good thing... sorry, review if you like, don't if you don't feel like it/ don't have time. But please, if you have questions or comments, I would love to hear them and I promise I will message you back.**

**Ok, last thing. I still don't own Merlin. I do have a white stuffed dragon I named Aithusa though...**

Chapter Ten: Leon Learns the Truth

Arthur had been having a terrible week. Even with his story about the serkets, Uther still found a way to blame Emrys and magic for Morgana's 'death'. And of course he had had to fake being much more depressed than he was as the entire kingdom mourned Morgana. He had given in and told Gwen, Morgana's maid, the truth, just because he couldn't stand seeing her so sad. She took the news very well, and Arthur had made sure that she was reassigned to a new job in the kitchens until she found a position that suited her better. She had wanted to go and see Morgana, but Arthur told her that that was a little impossible as he didn't exactly know where the Druid camp was. Merlin seemed to be giving them time to mourn, as there had been no sign of Emrys since Morgana's disappearance, which at least meant Uther was a little less angry than he could have been.

Arthur had to admit he was surprised at how great a toll the news of Morgana's death had taken on Uther. He had expected him to be sad, but not as devastated as he was. Arthur had learned why while going down to speak with Gaius about Druid traditions so he could learn about what Morgana's new life would be like. When he heard Uther speaking with the physician he snuck up to the door and listened to see what they were talking about, in case it had something to do with Merlin. It hadn't. While he eavesdropped on his father he learned that Morgana had been his half-sister. He had ran back to his chambers when he heard this, not wanting to be caught listening in on the king. The new information was slightly unsettling, not because he didn't love Morgana as any brother would love a sister, but because it meant that his father had been with his best friend's wife. There seemed to be no evil Uther had not committed.

Still, after the murder of an entire village, Arthur supposed adultery really shouldn't have been all that much of a surprise. And he had other more important things to worry about, like the increased patrols out looking for Emrys. Merlin was hidden well, but with so many knights and guards wandering through the woods the chances that one of them would get lucky and stumble across Merlin's camp or some other sign of his troop were increasing dramatically, and then, well, he didn't want to think about what would happen then. When Leon told him they were searching the area he knew Merlin was he knew he had to risk getting out there to warn him, no matter what it took.

Luckily Leon was still leading the search for Emrys, it hadn't been too hard to get back on patrol. Of course, he hadn't been allowed to go alone, his father was still worried after Morgana. All he would have to do was sneak away from Leon before they got too close to Merlin, and that really shouldn't have been too much of a problem for him, seeing as he had been sneaking away from knights since he was a child. And Arthur was able to get out of the castle for the first time since he had taken Morgana to Merlin and the Druids. It was nice to finally be out in the forest again, even though he wasn't able to hunt and ride and do everything that he hadn't been allowed to do for so long. He couldn't think of trivial things now though, he needed to stay focused and get to Merlin alone. But, of course, things would never go to Arthur's plan.

He had managed to escape Leon, and was quickly making his way towards Merlin, when Merlin found him. He was walking through the woods, near where he and Morgana had been attacked by the serkets when two pale hands had crept around his eyes, blocking his sight and a very familiar voice said, "Well, well, well, if it isn't Arthur Pendragon. Did you miss me?"

Arthur smiled as he turned to face Merlin saying, "Of course I did, you crazy warlock. Now, are you going to kiss me or do I have to do all the work?"

Merlin laughed softly and said, "Who knew Prince Arthur would be so lazy?" before pulling Arthur into a kiss, his hands twisting behind Arthur's back. After staying locked together for a period of time that felt both like an eternity and no time at all, Merlin pulled back and said, "So, Arthur, what brings you to my part of the woods? Don't tell me you have magic as well?"

"No." Arthur said with a chuckle, but then frowned as he said, "This is serious Merlin. The knights are getting close. You need to move."

"Daddy's men coming to get me?" Merlin asked with a smile. "I wonder how angry he would be if he knew you came out here to snog me behind his back."

"Let's just hope he doesn't find out. I'd rather not be murdered by my own father." Arthur said, feeling quite worried that this was what would actually happen if his father found out about their relationship. Merlin seemed to have noticed the depression in his voice as he gently brushed away his hair and said, "Don't worry, Arthur. I won't let him hurt you. It is my destiny to keep you safe, and I plan on doing quite a good job at that."

Arthur leaned against Merlin, and wished he could stay out in these forests with him forever, but knew that wasn't an option. Especially after Morgana. Who knew what Uther would do if both his children vanished. He took a deep breath and said, "It's not me I'm worried about right now. You may have magic, but that won't stop the knights from finding your camp and doing whatever is necessary to kill you. And even if they don't kill you, they could see your face and you would be in grave danger. It may be your destiny to protect me, but you won't be able to do that if you die out here, so I will do all I can to protect you until things change."

"Alright, Arthur. We'll move. Don't worry about-" Merlin started to say, but before he could finish his entire body went rigid, and a deep voice came from behind him yelling, "Step away from the Prince, this instant!"

Arthur's eyes widened as he heard Leon behind Merlin. He needed to do something quickly before his best friend murdered his new love. Merlin wasn't helping as he smiled and said, "Please put away your sword, it's sort of painful. Plus, they really don't serve any purpose besides hurting others, and I don't think anyone should get hurt today."

Leon looked quite confused from his position behind Merlin, and he spluttered a bit before saying, "No! I am a knight of Camelot! I order you to move away from the prince, immediately!"

Merlin still didn't listen to Leon, instead sighing and blinking slowly. When he reopened his eyes they were glowing the bright gold that Arthur had only seen when Merlin was doing magic. Arthur really wished Merlin hadn't just done magic. Leon would actually have a reason to hurt him now. He hoped that whatever he had done wasn't too obvious, maybe he could still pass it off as being a coincidence. He soon learned this wouldn't be possible as Leon yelped in surprise and grabbed Merlin, pulling him away from Arthur and saying, "Give me back my sword, sorcerer!"

Arthur wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry as Leon threatened Merlin with a white lily that must have been his sword before Merlin used his magic to change it. He knew he couldn't let Leon hurt Merlin and Merlin really wasn't helping this situation so Arthur decided it was time to act, and he rushed between Leon and Merlin, shouting, "Wait! Stop, both of you. Please, things aren't exactly as they seem."

"So you didn't lure the knights of Camelot to my camp?" Merlin asked, looking at him with a bit of a smirk. Apparently Merlin didn't think Arthur would do that, which made him glad.

"No. Of course I didn't, you know I wouldn't do that, Merlin." Arthur said, fixing Merlin with a serious gaze. Merlin just winked back at him before saying, "I know Arthur. I trust you."

Leon was definitely not taking this situation as well as Merlin was as he spluttered, "Get away from him, Arthur! He's a sorcerer! What do you think you're doing?" and pulled Arthur back towards him, still wielding the lily.

"Leon," Arthur said, grabbing him by his shoulders and turning the knight to face him, "Merlin isn't going to hurt us, isn't that right, Merlin?"

"Yep!" Merlin said with a smile from behind them. Leon's eyes flickered between Arthur and Merlin with a confused look as Arthur continued, "I know that as a knight your loyalty should be to my father, but I believe that you might be one of the few knights who understands that his reign has been cruel and unjust. Can I trust that you are loyal to me over my father?"

"Arthur you know I am loyal to you, but-" Leon began before Arthur cut him off.

"Then you will not harm this man. Do you understand me?"

"But he's a sorcerer, Sire." Leon said, looking quite confused.

"I know. He's also doing a better job of protecting the citizens than all the knights put together. The oath you took wasn't just to the king, it was also to the people. If you want them to be safe, you will not harm this man. He's saved my life at least twice, Leon. He is on or side."

"Arthur, are you sure you know what you're doing? He hasn't got you under a spell, has he?"

"No. Leon, I know what I'm saying. Believe me, he usually ends up knocking me out at some point, but he's never cast any other spells on me, I'm certain. He cares about the people, Leon. He's been making sure everyone is fed and safe, and if he uses magic to do that I don't see why that should be a problem. Merlin is on the side of Camelot, not Uther. It is high time we join him." Arthur said, and released Leon so he could turn back to Merlin, who was smiling at him, and Arthur knew that what he wanted more than anything else was to keep that smile on that face, permanently.

"I trust you, Arthur. But if he even thinks of hurting you, I will destroy him." Leon said, glaring over Arthur's shoulder to Merlin. Merlin raised his hands in a defensive position and said, "You don't have to worry about me, I promise I would never harm a single hair on Arthur's head."

Leon nodded slowly, making Arthur relax slightly. He then turned to his knight and said, "I need to speak with Merlin alone for a moment. Don't worry, we will be fine. If I haven't joined you in around a candle mark, you can come for me, but please, just give us some time alone."

"Are you certain you should be alone with him Arthur? I could stay and make sure he doesn't try anything funny." Leon said. Merlin rolled his eyes at him, but before he could speak and make things worse, Arthur said, "Merlin has had plenty of oppurtunity to harm me in the past, and he hasn't. I know I will be fine, Leon. Now, will you please let us talk alone for a while, I swear I won't be long."

Leon followed this order reluctantly, leaving Arthur and Merlin alone. When he was sure they were safe, Arthur turned back to Merlin and said, "Are you okay?"

"It takes a lot more than that to hurt me, don't worry Arthur." Merlin said, moving closer to Arthur.

"You always make me worry, Merlin. You're too sure of yourself. Just because you have prophecies written about you, doesn't make you indestructible. If that had been any other knight you could have been dead by now."

"Arthur, I'm fine. Seriously, you don't have to worry. I take care of myself, as long as I'm not being distracted by any handsome princes wandering through the forest, betraying their fathers to save me." Merlin said, bringing a hand up to Arthur's shoulder and causing Arthur to blush slightly.

"Where are Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine? You shouldn't be alone out here." Arthur chastised, but Merlin only laughed in response, saying, "Why does it seem like everyone always forgets I am an all-powerful warlock? I can look after myself." Arthur just glared at this, causing Merlin to roll his eyes and say, "Percival and Lancelot are hunting. Gwaine went into Camelot to get news from Percival's sister who lives in the city. Although he's probably ended up at the tavern, knowing Gwaine. Lancelot and Percy are close though, I could contact them if I really needed help."

"You could contact them? How?"

"All-powerful warlock, remember? I have a few tricks up my sleeves, Arthur. Maybe someday I'll show you some of them." The way Merlin was looking at him made something stir inside Arthur, and he felt his cheeks blush a bright red. This caused Merlin's smile to widen as he brushed a long finger over Arthur's rosy cheek and said, "I made the prince of Camelot blush. I wonder how many people can say that?"

"So far, just one." Arthur said, moving in for a kiss. He could feel Merlin chuckle slightly as their lips pressed together, making his lips vibrate in a strangely pleasant manner. But, Arthur couldn't keep Leon waiting, so he pulled away, saying, "I have to go, Merlin. Promise you will move your camp?"

"As soon as Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot get back." Merlin replied, "And tell your friend he will get his sword back as soon as he gets back to Camelot. He seems like a good man, but he should try not to use his weapon unless it is a life or death situation. I am glad that there are people like him looking after you, though."

Arthur nodded, and let Merlin hug him once more before he turned to find Leon and reassure his friend that he hadn't been destroyed by magic.

"Leon!" Arthur shouted, as he made his way through the forest, trying to find where the knight was waiting. It didn't take long, Leon hadn't gone far and was beside him almost as soon as Arthur called his name.

"Are you alright, Sire?" Leon asked, looking Arthur over for any signs of injuries.

"Yeah, Leon, I'm fine. Thank you for trusting me. Merlin says you will get your sword back as soon as we get back to Camelot, so we should probably head back." Arthur said, glancing back at the flower that Leon was still clutching in his fist. If any creatures attacked them now, Leon would be defenseless, and he definitely didn't want Leon to get hurt. Leon nodded at this suggestion and followed Arthur back towards the city. They had gone several steps in silence before Leon said, "That was Emrys, wasn't it?"

Arthur wondered if he should tell him the truth. After considering his options for a while, Arthur decided he might as well, Leon would already be taking a huge risk hiding this from the king, Arthur might as well reward his loyalty with the truth. "Yes, Leon. That was Emrys. I know that he is a criminal, but I swear I know what I am doing. He is saving the people from sickness and starvation with the money he steals. Can you understand that?"

Leon stopped, forcing Arthur to stop as well. There was another moment of silence before he said, "Yes, Arthur. I can understand that. I have tried to serve loyally in the past, but I do not wish to watch as the people I swore to protect suffer. He has been helping. But this is treason. Is there no other way we can help the people?"

"Not that I can think of, at least, not while my father is still king. I believe helping Merlin, or Emrys, is the best course of action for now. When we can make the king see that what he is doing is hurting our lands, we can resort to better methods, but until then we need his help. He is a good man, he won't hurt anyone. Believe me Leon, we can trust him."

Leon nodded and then smiled, and nudged Arthur a little saying, "It looks like you do a little more than trust him. Have you finally found someone special, Arthur?"

Arthur felt the blush return. He was glad that Leon was taking this so well, but it was still slightly embarrassing to him. He gulped and said, "I believe I have Leon. I trust you understand that it is imperative that my father never learns of this."

"I understand, Arthur. I just hope you've put your trust in the right person. He is a thief."

"He may be a thief now, but only because it is the only way he can protect the people. When things change, he will be so much more." Arthur said, thinking of all he would give to Merlin once he was king.

"You really are enamored, Arthur. I will keep your secret." Leon said, pulling Arthur from his day dreams.

"Thank you, Leon. I will always remember this." Arthur replied, thinking of what reward he would give Leon for his loyalty when everything was finally how it was meant to be.


	11. Chapter 11: Birthday Surprises

**AN: Hello! This is possibly the last happy chapter before we get into the ANGST! Who's excited? I'm excited! I hope some of you are too...**

**Anyhoo, in other news, I have changed chapter ten slightly so Leon takes a bit longer to side with Merlin. This is mostly due to starwater13 pointing out that it really didn't make sense as it was, so thank them a lot! Yay for constructive criticism!**

**Ok, think that's about it besides thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or alerted! This is now my most reviewed and alerted story! YAY!**

**And I don't own Merlin. No surprises there. I don't think I will ever get it as a birthday present either... **

Chapter Eleven: Birthday Surprises

Arthur had never liked his birthday. Even with all the lavish parties his father threw and the beautiful gifts he always received, birthdays had never been fun for him. Although his father had tried to treat his birthday as a time for celebration, Uther always found a way to remind everyone that Arthur's birthday was also the anniversary of his mother's death. Still, he tried to look happy as he listened to the many nobles and knights who had come to congratulate him on being another year older.

It had been almost a month since Morgana had left, and things were beginning to get back to normal. Well, as normal as things were ever going to get around here. Arthur felt lonelier than he ever had now that there was no one who would treat him like a normal person. Morgana had teased him constantly and had often been quite annoying, but she didn't suck up to him like almost everyone else in the palace. He might have given in and ran away himself if it hadn't been for Leon, who had kept his secret and hadn't told anyone about Merlin. At least now he knew that at least one of the knights would be loyal to him if his father discovered his secret love.

So, it had been one of the longest months of Arthur's life. There had been some news of Emrys, but he was still avoiding the city, sticking mainly to tax collectors far from the citadel. The way he kept jumping from one corner of the kingdom to another was befuddling the king and knights quite completely. Arthur had begun to suspect that Merlin was doing this knowingly to reassure Arthur that he would be safe. Whether it was or not, Arthur did feel better, knowing that Merlin had Uther's men chasing their tails looking for him. It also helped that Leon had been less vocal about his slightly questionable loyalties than he had, and was still leading the hunt for Emrys, so he kept Arthur updated on whatever information they gathered, which was very little.

His mind had been quite preoccupied as the entertainers juggled and jumped for his party. Uther and a few older nobles had given speeches about how he had grown, and Uther's had been much shorter than usual, in reflection of his newfound disappointment in Arthur. That was almost a blessing though, seeing as it meant less mentions of Ygraine and less time sitting and getting more and more drunk on the expensive wine provided (probably by the taxes, which made Arthur feel slightly guilty, but not less thirsty). A few hours and way too many goblets of wine later Arthur was stumbling back up to his chambers, glad that he made it through another birthday without sneaking out of the castle and drowning himself in ale at the local tavern. As he stumbled through the doors to his room, he didn't notice that the guard standing outside of his chambers was much bigger than any of the guards he had seen before.

Arthur entered his room, planning on collapsing into his bed and sleeping in as late as possible. That plan was abandoned when a very familiar pair of lips were planted against his and he stumbled backwards in surprise. He rubbed his eyes thinking that he must be dreaming, because Merlin couldn't be in his room right now. That would be ridiculous. But, as his bleary eyes focused Merlin was still there, whispering "Happy birthday, Arthur."

"Merlin? What are you doing here! This is way too dangerous!" Arthur hissed, trying his best not to slur his words at all.

"Well, I thought I could surprise you on your birthday. So, are you surprised?" Merlin said, sitting down on Arthur's bed and bouncing slightly on the mattress. Arthur had to admit, he was surprised. He was also terrified.

"You have to get out of here now! You'll be caught!"

"Why, are you going to turn me in? Or are you expecting someone else in your chambers tonight? Because I really hope that's not the case."

"Of course not, Merlin. I would never turn you in, and there is definitely no one else. I was serious when I said I loved you. I just really, really don't want you to be caught, and sneaking into the prince's chambers may not be the smartest idea right now. There is a guard outside my door, Merlin! I can't let my father kill you!"

Merlin stood and pulled Arthur into a hug, before turning to face him and saying, "Arthur, I'm not going to get caught. You seem a little out of it, so you may not have noticed, but that guard out there isn't exactly one of Uther's men. Percival is waiting outside for me disguised as a guard to make sure I'm alright. I came to give you your birthday present, then meet up with Lancelot and Gwaine to remind your father that he has people to protect, not just parties to throw. Everyone in the castle right now is a little worn out from celebrating or preparing for celebrations. I'll be fine tonight. Now, do you think you could stop freaking out? I have quite the busy night ahead of me, and I'd like to get to spend a few relaxing minutes with the birthday boy."

"Wait a moment that was Percival?" Arthur asked, remembering the large guard standing outside his room.

"Yeah, Arthur. That was Percival. You need to pay a little bit more attention to your guards. I'm beginning to worry for your safety. Camelot seems to have some big security flaws."

"Yeah, and their names are Merlin, Gwaine, Percival, and Lancelot." Arthur said, smiling at Merlin. He was beginning to feel more relaxed about this. Merlin was right; nobody would be coming to see him tonight. And almost everyone would be heading back to their beds after the celebrations. Merlin smiled at him and said, "Oh, Arthur, you make me blush. But, anyway, I wanted to give you this. Happy birthday, love."

Merlin then gave Arthur a quick kiss and handed him a small wooden box. Arthur opened it, pulling out a smooth, silver-blue stone hanging from a loop of string. Merlin pulled out a similar stone from around his neck and said, "Their enchanted. If you want to see me, all you have to do is squeeze it twice and I will get to a place we can meet as quickly as possible. And if you are in trouble, squeeze it once and I will protect you with all the powers I have."

Arthur smiled and put the string around his neck. "Thank you, Merlin. I will treasure it. Where could we meet?"

"There's a lake not far from here, just a mile outside the city, to the north. We could meet there, it is protected by the powers of the Old Religion. Do you think you could be able to get there if you needed to talk with me?"

"I have been sneaking out of this castle since I was five. I think I can make it out if I really need to. And really, thank you. This is definitely the best present I've received tonight, if not in my entire life." Arthur said, meaning every word. It helped that most of his presents were swords and weapons from the knights and gaudy rings from the nobles, but he was still overjoyed to have a way to speak to Merlin without wandering out in the forest and hoping to get lucky. He leaned in and kissed Merlin, hoping that it would show that he was being serious about his gratitude. When he pulled back Merlin looked totally blissful, a beautiful smile on his face as he pulled himself together after their kiss. After a moment he said, "Oh! And I was supposed to give you this."

Merlin handed Arthur a small wooden figure of a knight and said, "Morgana wanted me to give this to you. She seemed to know I would be visiting you tonight, and wanted to make sure that you know that she is extremely thankful to you for all you did, and she is happy, although she does miss you, and someone named Gwen, she was hoping you could let her know that. She made this with her powers, they really are developing. Iseldir says she's one of the strongest students he's had in a while."

Arthur rubbed his thumb over the small figure, thinking about his half-sister and all that had happened since she had left. Arthur sighed and said, "Thank you for bringing this to me, Merlin. And there is something she should know, if you could pass on the message. I overheard my father talking to Gaius. Gorlois wasn't her real father. I don't feel it is right to keep the truth from her, no matter how terrible it is. She is actually the daughter of the king."

Merlin's eyebrows knit together, as he watched Arthur with scrutiny for a while before saying, "Are you sure?" Arthur nodded before Merlin continued, "I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Uther's already done about every other disgusting thing he could. I will let her know, Arthur. I'm glad that you decided to tell her. She deserves to know the truth."

Arthur nodded and said, "That's what I thought. I don't want to keep secrets from her, I'm already keeping enough secrets from about everyone else."

Merlin smiled apologetically at him, saying "I'm sorry about that. Thank you for keeping so many secrets for me. And now, I think it is high time we left the serious business for a moment, we haven't seen each other for about a month, and it's your birthday. What do you want, Arthur?"

Arthur smiled lazily and said, "You." Before pulling Merlin back in for another kiss. Unfortunately good things could never last as they heard a knocking on the door and Merlin pulled away saying, "That's the signal. I have to go. Don't be afraid to use your present, I'd rather not go another month without seeing you again."

"Alright, Merlin." Arthur said, with a smile, "And be careful."

"I will." Merlin said, hugging Arthur and giving him one last quick peck before pulling on a guard helmet and saying, "Don't you dare get hurt on me."

Arthur nodded as Merlin ran out of the room to meet his friends, leaving Arthur to slump happily in his bed. Maybe birthdays weren't so bad after all.

* * *

Merlin dashed back into the hallway with a smile on his face, even though it was hidden by the helmet he had donned before leaving Arthur's room. Percival was waiting for him, they had a little while before the next set of guards came to relieve them, well, came to relieve the guards they had knocked out and shoved in a storage shed, but same thing really. As long as they weren't recognized by the replacements as imposters, everything would be fine. Luckily the two guards who eventually came stumbling down the hall seemed to have spent most of the night in the tavern, and really weren't in any fit state to tell that the guards leaving really were two of the most wanted men in Camelot. Merlin and Percival tried not to look like they were in too much of a hurry as they made their way down to Lancelot and Gwaine who should be done getting the gold by now. The hallways where Lancelot and Gwaine should have been were empty when they got there, making a small twinge of worry sneak into Merlin's stomach. Percival seemed to realize what was going on as he pulled of his helmet and called their names quietly. Merlin had completely forgotten that they looked a bit like the enemy at the moment, and as soon as Percival revealed himself Gwaine and Lancelot jumped out of an alcove a little further down, carrying two bags each, both looked to be filled to the bursting point with whatever treasures they had found down in the coiffeurs.

"So, how is the prince, lover boy?" Gwaine asked, winking at Merlin.

"A little drunk." Percival said before Merlin could respond. "He stumbled right by me, didn't say a word."

"Well, you would probably get pretty drunk as well if you had to listen to Uther Pendragon talk all night long." Merlin responded.

Percival just nodded, while Lancelot said, "We can catch up when we're safe. Let's get out of here."

Merlin nodded and followed him out of the castle and into the streets of the sleeping city, exiting Camelot with his heart light and a smile on his face.

* * *

A week had passed since his birthday and Arthur was still hadn't used Merlin's present. He had wanted to, but things had been busy, and he had been afraid someone would notice if he snuck out. He was almost sure he wouldn't get as lucky as he had gotten with Leon again, if someone else followed him he was sure Merlin would be in much greater danger than he would allow. So, Arthur had waited until things had settled down enough that he was able to get alone long enough to sneak out. Once he was out of the castle he squeezed the pendant twice and made his way to the lake Merlin had told him about. He was pretty certain he knew where it was, and it wouldn't take him too long to get there.

He was the first to get to the lake. The sun was starting to set as he arrived, making the water glow gold in the last light of day. He was so dazzled by the beautiful scenery that he didn't noticed the new arrival until Merlin was right beside him, saying, "It's gorgeous, isn't it?"

Arthur smiled at him and said, "Yeah, it really is. Not as gorgeous as you are, though."

Merlin laughed and hugged Arthur, saying "I've missed you. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to give you something." Arthur said. He had planned this out for the entire week, knowing it had to be perfect.

"You know you don't have to give me anything, right Arthur? It's enough for you to just come out and see me."

"I know. But I figured I didn't know when your birthday was, so I might as well choose a day. Plus, this mostly isn't for you. I want you to give this to the people." Arthur said, handing Merlin almost all of the gold he had saved up underneath his bed. He kept a few coins, in case of an emergency, but most of it was in the bag he was handing to Merlin. "They need it more than I do."

Merlin took the bag and smiled. "I will, Arthur. This was the right thing to do. I will let the people know where this money comes from."

"No." Arthur said, "This isn't for my ego, it's for the people. Someday I will be able to help them more, but for now this is all I can do. And I don't want a civil war. If the people start to side with me over my father, things could get messy."

Merlin nodded, and brushed a hand through Arthur's hair. "Good thinking, Arthur. And thank you, again. Things will get better, soon. Now that we have your help."

"I also wanted to give you this." Arthur said, handing Merlin a large silver coin. Merlin took it and brushed a thumb over the picture of a bird on the front. He looked questioningly back up at Arthur as he said, "It's my mother's sigil. I wanted you to have it. I know it isn't much, but it is extremely important to me, I though you would understand."

"Of course I do, Arthur. It is beautiful. Thank you so much." Merlin said, hugging Arthur again. They stood, looking out over the lake in silence for a moment before Merlin asked, "Do you remember her?"

"My mother?" Arthur asked, Merlin nodded and Arthur continued, "No. All I know is the stories I've been told. She died the day I was born." Arthur had never really talked to anyone about his mother before, but then again Merlin really wasn't just anyone. Merlin reached a hand up to wipe away the tears Arthur hadn't even realized had fallen. Arthur grabbed Merlin's hand, holding it against his face before saying, "What about you? Do you remember your parents?"

Merlin nodded, and gave Arthur a weak smile. "I don't remember a lot. Just what they looked like, a few of my father's stories, my mother's laugh and that she always smelled like grass and rain when she came home, and flour and honey after dinner. I remember our house, curling up with them in the winter to keep warm, but it's mostly flashes. I was just four, everything is a little blurry from back then."

"I'm sorry, Merlin." Arthur said. There was a pause while Arthur worked up the courage to say, "I probably shouldn't ask, but what was your mother's name?" Arthur said, sneaking his hands down around Merlin's waste.

"Hunith. Her name was Hunith. Thank you for asking, Arthur. No one has asked about her in ages, everyone gets a bit caught up in the whole dragon-lord-for-a-father thing." Merlin said, smiling at Arthur, although his eyes looked like they were watering slightly. He sniffed and wiped his eyes quickly. "It has been so long since I had a reason to say her name. They are why I kept my name, even when the Druids tried to make me change it to Emrys. They named me Merlin, and they loved me for who I am, not for what I will do. The Druids are amazing, but they do have a lot of expectations for me. Thank you for seeing me as more than my destiny, Arthur. And thank you for the gift."

Then Merlin leaned against Arthur and kissed him. Their lips stayed locked together until the first stars were beginning to shine. Arthur pulled away and said, "I should go. Someone might have noticed I'm missing. I love you, Merlin."

"I love you too, Arthur. Don't let Uther get you down too much. And remember, I will be here whenever you need me." Merlin said, and gave Arthur one last quick kiss before Arthur turned around and rushed back to the castle.


	12. Chapter 12: The Witchfinder

**AN: Hello! I'm back, with chapter twelve!**

**So, if the title of this chapter doesn't give it away, shit is about to go down. Although not quite in this chapter, so I was kind of lying when I said the angst started in this chapter. I just couldn't resist having an unlucky chapter thirteen...**

**Anyhoo, I will post thirteen soon, although I will be without my computer for most of the weekend. This fic is still going strong! Can you believe we are over half way done? I think there should be twenty-two chapters, so yeah. It really has been amazing, and I love you all!**

**Finally, I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed, alerted, favorited, or read! I love you all! Also, because I apparently thought I sent messages to most of the people who reviewed but actually didn't, I want to say I am still incredibly grateful! Especially to the people who gave me some constructive criticism, my editor is no editing this one, so I really do need all the help I can get!**

**And I don't own Merlin. I am so excited to see what the actual owners of Merlin do with season five though!**

Chapter Twelve: The Witchfinder

Arthur was spotted by the night watch as he approached the city. They escorted him back inside after they recognized him as the prince. Once inside he was taken to his father who yelled at him about the dangers of the forest (namely, Emrys) and his duty to the kingdom. He was then taken down to the dungeons where he was to spend the night in the cells, in an attempt to 'cool him off'. It wasn't the first time Uther had used the dungeons as a punishment for Arthur, but it was still unpleasant. It could have been worse though, Uther had never actually hurt Arthur, no matter how angry he was. Arthur figured this would change if he found out about Merlin and their relationship, but he hoped his theory would never be tested. So, a slightly sleepless night in the cell was definitely not as bad as it could have been. It was what happened afterwards that got Arthur worried.

George had come down with the guards who had released him, taking him back to his room where a warm bath and a clean set of clothes were waiting for him. He had gotten clean and then had been summoned down to the council chambers, where Uther had gathered all the council of elders and many of the nobles. Arthur took his place next to his father as the rest of the men waited and his father began to speak.

"Councilors, nobles, and knights, I have called you together today for a very important reason. Emrys has been making a fool of us for much too long. He taunts us, mocks us, but as we have banished all knowledge of magic from the kingdom we do not understand his ways, and we cannot predict his movements and we have been unsuccessful in stopping him. I have decided that this has gone on long enough, and that it is high time we bring in someone who has knowledge we have long since rid ourselves of. That is why I have summoned Aredian, the witchfinder, to Camelot to assist us with the capture of the thief. He has given me his word that he will work tirelessly until Emrys has been brought to justice. I want you all to give him your full support, any orders he gives should be treated as orders from me."

Arthur felt a shudder creep down his spine as Uther stepped back to reveal a man dressed all in black, a wide brimmed hat concealing his eyes. He swept forward, his cloak swishing out behind him as he reached up to remove the hat, exposing two beady eyes and thinning ginger hair. He cleared his throat before saying, "Thank you, Your Highness. Emrys will be dealt with soon, but I will need all of your cooperation. First I would like to talk to the knights in charge of hunting him down and anyone who has had any contact with the thief, the rest of you may leave."

All of the elderly council men and nobles got up to leave, most of them looking happy to be away. Gaius glared at Aredian before leaving, Aredian smirking in return. Arthur had never seen such hatred on the old physician's face as he regarded the witchfinder. Arthur was glad his father allowed him to remain as those not involved with the search for Emrys left, he needed to know exactly what was happening in the search for Merlin. He didn't know anything about Aredian, what if he actually had the skills to take down Merlin? Arthur needed to learn everything he could then warn Merlin of his new foe.

"Who is in charge of the search?" Aredian asked.

Leon stepped forward, saying, "I am. What do you need from me?"

"I need to know everything you know about him so far. What does he look like? Who are his accomplices?"

Leon glanced at Arthur with a look of concern, before saying, "We don't know. No one has seen his face. We do know he is male, tall and lanky, and that he has been residing in the woods around the castle. We believe he has at least three compatriots, but we know nothing about them either. The name Emrys has Druid connotations, so he may be connected to them, but we really don't know much more than that."

"Is that all? For the renowned knights of Camelot you really haven't learned much. Very well. Who has gotten the closest to him?"

Leon looked nervous before saying, "Well, that would probably be Arthur. He was captured by Emrys and escaped after one night in his camp. No one else has actually talked with him, unless you count the day he helped a sorcerer escape. He spoke with the king then."

Uther's brows narrowed as Leon brought up that day, and Arthur tensed a little. He knew Leon had to tell the truth to keep his father from growing suspicious and removing him from the search as well, but he didn't want Aredian to learn any more than what they absolutely couldn't keep from him.

Aredian changed his focus from Leon to Arthur, saying, "You escaped him? How?"

Arthur blushed a little. He really hadn't told his father much, and Uther was watching him with curiosity and anger. Arthur could feel his breath pick up as he said, "Umm.. Well, I umm, they had me tied to a tree, and were planning on torturing me for information about the castle, so I knew I had to get out."

"Yes. But how did you get out?" Aredian said, gesturing for Arthur to speed up.

"I umm," Arthur tried to think quickly, "I waited until they were all asleep, and found a sharp rock, and used it to cut through the ropes. It took a while, but I was able to break through the ropes and knock the man who was supposed to be guarding me with a branch that had fallen off of the tree I was tied to, then I snuck away before any of them realized I was gone."

"That is quite impressive, Arthur. I would have thought that Emrys would have used an enchantment to bind you, but you say he just used regular ropes?"

"Well, yes. Just normal rope." Arthur said, trying to sound convincing. At least that part wasn't a lie.

"Why didn't you kill them when you had the chance? If they were all asleep it should have been easy for you." Aredian said, smirking a little. Arthur was scared. What if he said something that gave everything away?

"They took my weapons." Arthur said, remembering what Merlin had told him to say after their first talk. "All I had was the big stick, and I thought it was more important to get out, I couldn't let them catch me again and risk them learning of Camelot's weak spots."

"So you would have told them?"

"No!" Arthur shouted. "I wouldn't tell them anything! But Emrys can use magic, what if he did something that made me tell, whether I wanted to or not?"

"And you didn't see what Emrys or any of his partners looked like while you were there?"

Arthur was shifting uncomfortably in his seat now, as he said, "They were wearing cloaks, they made sure I never saw their faces."

"What about the one you knocked out?" Aredian asked, smiling now. Arthur met his gaze with one of fierce determination, even as the sweat trickled down his back. "It was dark. And I wanted to get out quickly. I didn't think lighting a fire to find out what one of them looks like would really have been a good idea."

Aredian's eyes narrowed as he met Arthur's glare and said, "He didn't say anything to you? Anything that would let us know anything else about him?"

"Umm, No. Just that he would torture me till I told him everything I knew about the castle's defenses."

Aredian gave Arthur a suspicious look before turning away and saying, "Alright. I think that is all I need to know for now. Your highness, do you think we could have a word in private?"

"Of course, Aredian. Anything that will help you stop this menace." Uther said, gesturing for the rest of the group to leave. Just as Arthur reached the door, Uther turned from a whispered conversation with Aredian and shouted, "Arthur, I want you to go straight back to your chambers. You are not to leave until Aredian says you are allowed. I want a guard posted outside his chambers. Leon, be sure he gets there."

Leon responded with a quick "Yes, Sire." Before meeting Arthur's gaze with a nervous glance and followed him out of the council chambers. They walked together until they reached an empty hallway, and Leon said, "Arthur, Aredian seems suspicious of you. What should we do?"

"Nothing, yet." Arthur said, "He has no reason to suspect me, and even if he does, what can he do? I'm still the prince. Just act as you normally do, everything will be fine."

"Alright, Arthur." Leon said, still looking a little nervous. "I'll try to make sure the guards posted are loyal to you, not your father."

"Thank you, Leon." Arthur said, as they reached his room. Leon inclined his head in a small bow before leaving Arthur to his thoughts.

* * *

Arthur had spent a very boring night and morning sitting alone in his room. George had come to bring him his dinner and breakfast, and had left as soon as the food was delivered. Apparently the king didn't even want him to have any human contact while he was being punished, or whatever this was. It had given him a long time to think about Aredian and what he would do about him. Merlin needed to know that there was someone after him who might be slightly more competent than the group of knights lead by a man who didn't want him to be caught. He knew Merlin was strong and smart, but Aredian was tricky, and he knew more about magic than they did.

Arthur was pulled from his thoughts of Aredian by the man himself. Apparently last night hadn't been enough, he needed more information from Arthur.

"What are you doing here, Aredian? These are my chambers, you are not welcomed here." Arthur said angrily.

"Well, your father has given me permission to do whatever I need as long as I am searching for the thief, and right now I need to ask you a few more questions, so I have the right to be here as long as I wish." Aredian said smugly, walking through Arthur's chambers as if he owned them before sitting at his table and drinking his water. Arthur crossed his arms in annoyance and said, "Then you better hurry up and ask your questions so you can get the hell out of my room."

Aredian just laughed, saying, "If that is what you wish, Arthur, I will get down to business. Although I am slightly curious to why you already hate me so much already, but that is beside the point. King Uther says that your opinion towards magic has changed in the past few months. What changed your views?"

"I realized that what my father was doing was wrong after Emrys saved the sorcerer Thomas Collins. Even if Emrys was wrong to break the law, Thomas had not done anything wrong. Seeing him with his mother showed me that he was just like us. It was then I started to question it."

"So, it wasn't after you were captured by Emrys? Because that was when your father said he noticed the change."

"They happened on the same day, so it would be easy for him to be confused." Arthur said, glaring at Aredian.

"Your opinion still changed after Emrys threatened to torture you? The king also says you have defended the thief, shouldn't you be the first to condemn him after what happened to you?"

Arthur felt the blood drain from his face as Aredian asked him questions he didn't have answers to. He was silent for a moment as he tried to think of an excuse. He finally thought of something and said, "Emrys could have killed me, but he didn't. He did threaten me, but he has helped many of the people, even if we don't want to see it. I am supposed to defend the people, not stop them from receiving their only source of wealth after my father takes all their money in taxes. And some of the accusations Uther has made about him are ridiculous; I just think there may be more to him than the criminal my father sees."

Aredian nodded, a chilling smile on his face, and switched subjects saying, "The king also said you were the only one with the Lady Morgana when she died, what did you say happened?"

"We were attacked by a group of Serkets." Arthur said, thinking about the day he had spent with Merlin and Morgana but keeping his face somber, "They killed her. I barely got away."

"Why were you two out in the woods in the first place?" Aredian asked, looking at Arthur with a smirk, as if he had caught him.

"She wanted to get out of the castle after the explosion in her room. I went with her to make sure she was safe, but I failed." Arthur replied, trying to look as remorseful as possible.

"Ah, yes. The explosion. The king says you disagreed with the theory that that was the work of Emrys, even though it clearly showed all the markings of an expert magic user."

"He would never do anything like that!" Arthur shouted, before realizing what he had just done, and felt himself pale more.

"How would you know what he would do?" Aredian said, the smirk growing.

"I mean, it's just in all his letters, he said all he did was for the people. He wouldn't hurt anyone." Arthur stuttered, trying to make up for his outburst.

"I thought you said he was planning on torturing you? Wouldn't that be hurting you?"

Arthur felt his heart rate increase slightly as he tried to give Aredian a suitable response, "Well, what I mean to say is he wouldn't hurt anyone without a reason. Attacking Morgana would get him nothing."

"Except for a large ransom from Uther. It seems clear to me that Emrys was behind this attack, unless, of course, Morgana herself was the magic user."

Arthur was pretty sure he was paler than Merlin as he gave a nervous laugh and said, "Morgana, a witch? That's impossible. She was Uther Pendragon's ward! She would never learn magic."

"Well, I would have said that Arthur Pendragon would never think that magic could be anything but evil, but you have obviously changed." Aredian said, and took a moment to glance around the room before returning his gaze to Arthur and switching topics once again. "You snuck out a couple of nights again. Where did you go?"

Arthur smiled a little at the thought of Merlin at the lake before saying, "I went out to train. I wanted to practice in the woods, to understand what it would be like to fight in rough terrain. I guess I got a little carried away, and lost track of time."

"You didn't think it would be a good idea to take one of your knights along with you?"

"I wanted some time alone, so I went alone. If you are going to question me about every time I've snuck out of the castle we will be here for quite some time."

"Very well, Arthur. I think I have gotten all the information I need. I must say, it has been quite illuminating, to say the least."

"And the guards? Am I allowed out of my chambers?" Arthur asked as Aredian moved towards the door.

"I think that can be allowed. Just don't leave the city." Aredian said, before giving Arthur one last smirk and leaving. Arthur took a deep breath and went to lie down on his bed. Who knew talking to that horrid witchfinder could be so bloody exhausting.

* * *

Aredian left the prince's chambers with a smile on his face. This was going to be easier than he expected. Prince Arthur was obviously lying, he knew more about Emrys than he was letting on. Whether he had been enchanted to or willingly betrayed his father Aredian wasn't yet certain, but he did know that it wouldn't be long now till he caught the thief and earned his reward.

There was still the problem of the knights of Camelot, but they would have to be dealt with later. It was difficult to tell where their loyalties lay, with the prince or the king. Many of them seemed to be rather close to the prince, especially the one leading the search. If Arthur had already gotten to him it might explain why Emrys hadn't been caught yet, although Aredian wasn't exactly complaining. If the knights had done a competent job he wouldn't get paid for bringing down one of the most infamous sorcerers of their time.

So, Aredian ordered his men to their positions, took up his own, and waited for his trap to set itself.

* * *

Arthur waited until it was dark before he left his room. He had to warn Merlin, no matter what it took. Just as Aredian had said, there were no longer guards outside his chambers, so it was easy enough for him to sneak out. As soon as he was outside the castle walls he squeezed the stone hanging around his neck twice, hoping Merlin would get the message quickly so he could get back before anyone noticed. What he didn't notice was that someone was watching him. He didn't see the cruel eyes gleam in the moonlight or hear the cold voice whisper "Follow him." as he ran towards the lake, so Arthur had no idea what danger he was drawing Merlin to. All he could think about was making sure the man he loved was safe, while he unwittingly put him in far greater danger.


	13. Chapter 13: Unlucky in Love

**AN: So, the angst has officially started with unlucky chapter thirteen! WOOT!**

**Hey guys. I need to give a quick shout out to Mirror Mirror people, I am working on chapter nine, it is coming along, just with school and ren faire stuff and working out and actually kind of maybe having a social life, things have gotten a bit crazy. Soon though. It shall come soon. This fic is just already slightly written from summer, so lots easier to update... I have really not been writing at all lately...**

**Anyhoo, things about this fic. ANGSTY ANGST TIME! Yay! Still loving all the reviews, favorites, alerts, and so on! Have to give a brief shout to an anonymous reviewer, Shadowbending, Your review made me smile a lot. I don't think I have ever gotten a review with so many curse words, it was slightly fantastic. Had to give you a brief thank you! before we started.**

**Also, there may be an incredibly blatent quote from Pirates of the Caribbean in this chapter. I think I have watched that movie over one hundred times, but I'm not sure. **

**And I don't own Merlin. So it most definitely is not my fault Lancelot is gone :(**

Chapter Thirteen: Unlucky in Love

Even though Arthur ran all the way to the lake, Merlin was already there waiting for him. His face lit up the moment he saw Arthur, which made Arthur forget his worries for a second and run to his love.

"Arthur." Merlin said, pulling Arthur into a hug. Arthur pulled away quickly, remembering his mission and said, "Merlin, you have to get out of Camelot."

Merlin's smile morphed into a confused frown as he said, "Why? What's the matter, Arthur?"

"Uther's hired a man, Aredian, calls himself a witchfinder, to hunt you down. He already suspects me. He's better than my father or any of the knights, Merlin. You have to get out of here He's going to kill you Merlin, and I can't let that happen, I-"

"Arthur," Merlin said, stopping his nervous ramblings, "I'm fine. And whoever this Aredian is, he won't be able to catch me, don't worry. I am stronger than him, no matter what he says. I'm safe."

"Don't you understand! You're not safe!" Arthur shouted, feeling slightly angry at how nonchalantly Merlin was acting about this. "My father will KILL you if you are caught. Your powers won't matter at all if you're dead. Aredian is smart, and he has the entire army of his Camelot at his beck and call. He knows about magic and how to stop it. You need to get out of here, at least for now. I can try to help the people the best I can while you're gone, but I can't let you get caught, I just can't."

Merlin gave him a sad little smile and let Arthur rest his head on his shoulder. His long fingers combed though Arthur's hair for a moment before asking, "What would you do if I was caught?"

Arthur pulled away from Merlin and looked into his beautiful blue eyes and said, "I don't know, Merlin. I will fight with everything I am to keep my father from hurting you. Just, it will be a lot easier if you avoided getting captured at all costs."

"Alright, Arthur," Merlin said with a smile. "We'll move or camp further from the citadel, and I won't attack Uther until you tell me it's safe. Is that acceptable?"

Arthur thought for a moment, then gave a slow nod and said, "I'd rather you left the country, but I suppose that will do."

Merlin chuckled and reached his arms around Arthur's neck, saying, "I'll be fine, Arthur. Although I will miss you. Quite a lot."

"I'll miss you too," Arthur said, stroking Merlin's high cheekbone with his thumb, "but I need to know your safe."

"I love you, Arthur. Whatever you do, don't get hurt while I'm gone, do you understand me? Don't forget, I have to power to turn you into a toad if you do."

Arthur laughed and replied, saying, "Oh the wonders of courting Emrys."

"Hmm… You should talk with Gwaine and Percival; they can tell you all about the benefits of being my lover."

Arthur smiled, before taking a serious expression and saying, "Just because you don't have me, doesn't mean you can start kissing up to anyone else. No drinking with Gwaine, and no cuddling with Percival. And don't think I won't know, Merlin. You're mine."

"Yes." Merlin said with a smile. "All yours." and started to lean in for a kiss. Their lips met in the most brilliant, perfect kiss Arthur had ever experienced. Everything else vanished besides him and Merlin. He felt like he was flying, soaring free from the pressures of being prince, of his worries about Aredian, of everything except his love for Merlin, and Merlin's love for him.

Unfortunately, something so perfect could never last. Arthur plummeted back to earth as he was yanked away from Merlin by a pair of knights. He blinked to regain his senses after that perfect kiss, and when he did what he saw horrified him. Merlin was lying on the ground, his eyes clenched shut in pain, hands pulling at a strange loop of metal encircling his neck. His breath was coming out in pained gasps that were so far apart it sounded as if he was choking. As Arthur began to mumble a litany of no's another chilling voice spoke over him, saying, "You three, take the prince back to the palace. The rest of us will deal with Emrys."

Arthur looked up from Merlin into Aredian's beady eyes, and said, "You can't do this! I order you to let him go, don't you see you're hurting him!"

Aredian smirked at him, meeting his eyes for a moment, and saying, "I have to do no such thing, Prince Arthur. You have disgraced your father, be glad I'm not bringing you back in chains." he then turned away from Arthur and to the knights holding him and said, "Get him out of my sight."

The three knights hesitated slightly, but they were all older, obviously Uther's men, not Arthur's, so they complied and dragged him back towards the castle and away from Merlin, ignoring his orders and pleas.

* * *

Merlin had been so lost in the kiss that he didn't hear the footsteps behind him until it was much too late and the cold iron was locked around his neck, separating him from his magic. He had never known pain as great as the feeling the metal pressed against his neck was currently causing. He felt like his blood wanted to burst from his skin, to boil and flow away, leaving only an empty shell, deprived of what was most important to it. His lungs just couldn't fill, as he gasped, trying to regain control over his breathing. He could see nothing, hear nothing, all was blinding white pain. When he finally did recover his breath, a hand gripped his hair, yanking him up from where he had fallen to the ground, and a beak-nosed face was thrust inches from his own. He tried to pull back as putrid breath cascaded over his face and the man said, "So, Emrys, we meet at last."

"Let me go!" Merlin hissed, still reeling from the recent addition to his outfit. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not Emrys."

He knew it was a pretty worthless attempt, but he had to try. After all, very few non-Druids knew what Emrys looked like.

"Don't lie to me, you magic-scum. I heard you and the prince, and I know who you are. You can't hide it from me."

Merlin glared at the man holding him and said, "You must be Aredian, you ugly, evil-"

Merlin was cut off by a slap that sent him crashing to the ground. He was quickly pulled back up by two knights who began to bind his hands with a long silver chain. He tried to struggle but without his powers there was little he could do. He looked around searching of a friendly face in the sea of knights, but found none. Arthur was missing, making him slightly nauseous with worry as he asked, "Where's Arthur?"

This got him another slap, this time from one of the knights holding him who yelled, "You will not address the prince like that!"

Aredian seemed less worried about his lack of respect, pushing the knight aside and saying, "Prince Arthur is back in his castle, where he should be."

"What did you do to him!" Merlin shouted, he was certain Arthur wouldn't leave him voluntarily. As he spoke Aredian started to laugh. It was cold, cruel laugh and it chilled Merlin to the bone. "You really think he cared about _you_? You think the prince could love scum? He left once we caught you. His job was done, he wouldn't want to spend any more time with you than he had to. Now you're all mine."

Merlin felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. He didn't want to believe it but if Arthur had really led Aredian here and then left him, was there really any other explanation? "You're lying." Merlin mumbled.

"What good would that do me? Arthur brought me to you, and then abandoned you. Think of it what you will, I'll get paid either way." Aredian said with a shrug. Merlin had to fight to hold back tears. He wouldn't appear week in front of this monster. Apparently Aredian had decided that they were done talking as he grabbed the free end of the chain from one of the knights who had bound him and began yanking him away from the lake. Merlin couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. Arthur was gone, and nothing else mattered. He felt completely numb as Aredian pulled him up, dragging him back towards Camelot. He had to run when Aredian mounted a horse just to keep from tripping and being pulled through the dirt. Nothing seemed real, not the pain around his wrists where the chains bit into his flesh, or the burning where the cold iron met his flesh, all there was was emptiness, because Arthur didn't love him. It had all been a trick, only a game, and Merlin had lost everything. His heart was still aching as they entered Camelot, Aredian announcing to the century posted that he had captured Emrys. The news must have spread incredibly fast, as soon the streets were lined with people. A few disgruntled guards threw small stones and insults at him as he walked past, but Merlin barely noticed. The pain they caused was nothing compared to Arthur's betrayl. The majority were all watching with solemn faces, many of which Merlin recognized from his trips to deliver gold to the people. Aredian had thankfully dismounted, making slightly easier for Merlin to keep up, but he still stumbled occasionally as he was pulled along. Just as they passed the local tavern, they came to an abrupt stop, making Merlin almost run into Aredian. He looked up to see what had stopped them, and saw a huge group of people standing in their way. Gwaine was at the head of the group, Percival's youngest sister who lived in the city right behind him.

"Step aside." Aredian order.

"NO!" Gwaine yelled. "We're not going to let you take him to the king!"

Merlin smiled slightly as the crowd all gave their shouts in support of what Gwaine had just said. Still, it didn't look like many of them were armed and Merlin was surrounded by knights. And from what he had gathered about Aredian, he wouldn't mind slaughtering a few villagers to complete his task. Aredian confirmed this as he shouted, "Move, or you will be charged with aiding a criminal and you will be killed."

"You may as well kill us then, because we won't let you have Emrys!" a man from the crowd shouted. Merlin felt an enormous swell of gratitude to this stranger who was willing to die for him, but he knew he couldn't let that happen. He tried to think of what he could do to stop this as Aredian called out, "Don't throw away your lives for this filth. He is a criminal, and will get what he deserves."

"He's not a criminal, he's a good man!" Percival's sister shouted. Merlin gave her a weak smile as another woman yelled, "He saved my family!" and the crowd broke out in shouts of agreement.

"Fine. You've all made your opinions quite clear." Aredian said, then turning to the knights he ordered, "Kill them."

Luckily the knights seemed slightly more reluctant to massacre the unarmed townspeople, which gave Merlin time to act. He grabbed the chain around his wrist and yanked as hard as he could to get Aredian's attention. "Don't you dare hurt them." Merlin called when Aredian turned to look at him. He met the witchfinder's glare with one of his own, as Aredian pulled on his end of the chain, causing Merlin to stumble forward. "I don't think you're in much of a position to be making demands, Emrys. I can do whatever I want to them, I have the full support of the king."

"Do you really think Uther will appreciate it if you kill his people?" Merlin asked, still holding Aredian's gaze. "They're only peasants." Aredian replied. "I'm sure the king will understand when he learns they were trying to defend you." He then started to turn back to the crowd gathered, but stopped as Merlin yanked again.

"If you do that one more time," Aredian growled before Merlin cut him off, saying "They're not just peasants, they are the kingdom of Camelot. A kingdom is made of people, not gold or kings or land, normal people. Uther will lose taxes and goods if you kill them. Let me speak with them, I can make them move."

Aredian contemplated what he has said for a moment before tugging Merlin forward and saying, "Make it quick. Don't forget, I still have the power to have all of them killed."

Merlin nodded at him before turning to the crowd and saying, "Thank you for showing your support, I cannot tell you how much it means to me. But I also cannot let you all die for me. Go back to your homes, help me by helping yourself."

This statement was met with shouts of dissent. Aredian tried to yank him back, but he refused to move, shouting, "There will be a day to rise up and fight against the injustice in this kingdom, but it is not today. Please, go. I will not die on this night, and neither will you. Don't sacrifice yourselves for nothing. Wait for the opportune moment to act, when things don't need to be settled with unnecessary bloodshed. To do anything else would be to go against my wishes. I will be alright, it is not my fate to die here, and it isn't yours either." Merlin finished, meeting Gwaine's gaze for a moment, hoping he understood that there was nothing he could do now. The people could be saved, he couldn't. After a long period of silence Gwaine nodded, and lead Percival's sister away. They must have been the ringleaders, for the rest of the crowd dispersed as well, leaving their path to the castle clear. As soon as the last people vanished into the night, Aredian sauntered past him, whispering, "Pretty words, for a doomed man. I hope you don't actually believe any of that garbage, but it's a good thing those peasants did."

Merlin just glared in response before following Aredian up the castle steps, towards the man who murdered his parents. The castle was almost completely empty as they made their ways through the halls. The first people he saw who didn't dash away at the sight of him and Aredian were two guards standing in front of a large doorway. Aredian glared at them and they opened the doors, allowing Merlin, Aredian, and the knights into the large hall. Merlin barely got a chance to look around before he was pushed to the ground, his bound arms unable to stop his fall. Two of the knights yanked him to his knees as Uther's voice rang through the hall, saying, "You are sure that this is Emrys?"

Merlin glared at the man who had taken everything from him but didn't reply as Aredian marched over next to him and said, "I know he looks like a pathetic weakling, but I assure you, this is Emrys. The collar around his neck is special; it blocks the magic of sorcerers so they can be restrained. On normal people like us, there would be no affect. To those with powers it causes immense pain, but never have I seen any react as this boy has. He has barely been wearing it for an hour and already there are blisters and scars." Aredian pulled up the collar, exposing the raw skin underneath. Merlin hissed as his long-nailed finger prodded his raw skin, his attempts to move away blocked by a knight standing beside him. "He has powers of the likes I have never encountered before. The people also identified him as Emrys; I am certain it is him."

Uther walked over to stand next to Aredian and inspected Merlin's neck. "So you are the bastard who's been stealing my gold." Uther said, learning at Merlin. Merlin glared back up at him, saying, "It's not your gold, it's the people's."

As Merlin finished speaking, Uther's fist met his jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. Before he could drag himself back to his knees, Uther's booted foot connected with his side, as he yelled "Who's going to pay now, sorcerer? You filthy, horrid creature, you will suffer for all the times you humiliated me!"

Luckily, Uther seemed to have decided he was done kicking Merlin when he stopped speaking, giving Merlin time to pull himself up and take a few deep breaths. His mouth had taken the full force of the punch, and there was a small amount of blood dripping down from his chin onto the pristine floor. His breathing was labored, but not to the extent it would have been if his one of his ribs had been broken. Uther had turned his back to him, so all he could see was the red cloak streaming down to the ground. The hall was silent for a moment as Uther contemplated what to do with his new prisoner. Eventually, he turned with a smile, his gaze still directed at Merlin as he said, "Aredian, you are an expert at extracting information, right?"

"Yes I am, Sire." Aredian said, an evil grin spreading across his face. Merlin tried to scoot backwards, but was stopped by the knights once again.

"I think we will require your services for a while longer, then. You see, Emrys know the location of a group of Druids. If you can tell me where that is, I shall double your pay."

"It would be an honor." Aredian said, as he carded his fingers through Merlin, causing a shiver down his spine. "It looks like we get to spend some more time together, Emrys."

"I won't tell you anything." Merlin hissed. Aredian just smiled back at him, saying, "They all say that. And they all end up squealing like little pigs in the end."

Uther laughed at that and said, "You have ten days to learn all you can from him. I can only put off his execution for so long. The people also need to learn who has the power, so I would like to borrow him from you tomorrow morning; I think a public flogging is in order."

Merlin glared at both of them as they talked about him as if he was a piece of meat, not a fellow human being. Uther then walked forward until he was standing directly in front of Merlin. With a quick gesture of his wrist, the knights behind Merlin hauled him to his feet so he was face to face with the king. Uther's hand shot out and grabbed his chin forcing Merlin to stare into his eyes as he said, "I've won, Emrys. Even with all your magic you couldn't beat me. You're pathetic."

Merlin used his proximity to Uther to pull back all the blood and saliva in his mouth before shooting it out onto the royal's cheek. The king's face went red again before he slapped Merlin and shouted, "Get him out of my sight!" and Merlin was hauled out of the large room and down through the stairs and hallways of the castle till they reached the dank dungeons and he was thrown into an empty cell. Aredian entered after him, instructing the knights to unbind his wrist before re-chaining them to the shackles on the wall. They repeated the process with his ankles, then left him alone, cut off from his friends and powers, his heart shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.


	14. Chapter 14: Left in the Darkness

**AN: Hello... Hello... Is anyone still there? Sorry about the huge break. But I has excuses! And they are actually kind of good for everyone involved.**

**1. The wonderful starwater13 has volunteered to be my betareader! Do you know what that means? This chapter was edited! HA! So we had a little bit of a time working out how to get in contact and make this work, but we eventually did, and now this fic will be so much better!**

**2. Somehow chapter fourteen got lost on the way to starwater13, so as they were busy editing chapter 15, I had no idea they didn't have the one that needed to be posted next... So things got confusing, but now I have an edited chapter 15 as well, so that one should go up in the next couple of days! And I will be sending starwater13 chapter sixteen either late tonight or early tomorrow, so then we will go back to being a few chapters ahead, and I will be able to update whenever I feel like it, which will mean quite often :)**

**Anyhoo, time for chapter fourteen! ALL THE ANGST! well, at least some of it. Apparently I've been crushing starwater13's heart into little pieces with this, maybe I can do the same to all of yours ;) Please don't sue.**

**Speaking of suing, I don't own Merlin. For which the characters will be forever grateful.**

Chapter Fourteen: Left in the Darkness

Gwaine raced back to the camp, barely noticing the branches that whipped against his face as he made his way back to Percival and Lancelot. He hated leaving Merlin like that, but Merlin had probably been right in sending him away. It would have been a blood bath; a group of trained and armed knights against a bunch of peasants whose best weapons were frying pans and broomsticks could never end well. All he could do now was get back to the others, and hopefully come up with a plan to rescue Merlin before it was too late. He burst through the trees, arriving at the camp and meeting the blades of both Percival and Lancelot. When they realized it was him they lowered their swords, and Lancelot said, "Gods, Gwaine, with the amount of noise you were making we thought you were the bloody army of Camelot."

Gwaine caught his breath quickly and said, "We've got bigger problems than the armies of Camelot. Merlin's been captured."

"WHAT!" Percival and Lancelot exclaimed, Gwaine nodded and said, "He was surrounded by knights, they were taking him up to the palace."

"But, that's not possible." Lancelot said, "He was just here, he said he was going to meet-"

"Arthur." Percival growled, cutting Lancelot off. The large man then stomped over to a tree and slammed a fist into the bark as he shouted, "I knew we never should have trusted that blond bastard."

Gwaine watched Percival's anger with horror. Would Arthur really betray Merlin? And what would that mean for Merlin? He really seemed to love the prince, a betrayal like that would break him before Uther even got a chance to. Lancelot seemed less sure as he said, "You don't think Arthur had anything to do with this, right Percival?"

"I don't _know _if the prince had anything to do with this." Percival said, "All I _know_ is that he isn't going to be quite as pretty after I get a hold of him. What other explanation is there?"

Lancelot seemed to be the only one who could still think straight as he asked Gwaine, "Did you see Prince Arthur while you were there?"

Gwaine thought about what had happened outside the pub. The prince hadn't made an appearance, just that creepy old man and a group of knights. If Arthur really had had a part in catching Merlin, wouldn't he have been showing off? He shook his head in confusion as he replied, "No, I didn't see Arthur anywhere. It was just this old man dressed all in black and about all of the knights over the age of thirty. Arthur may not have had anything to do with this."

"Then why didn't he protect him!" Percival shouted. "If he loved Merlin so much, how could he let his father get his murderous hands on him?"

Gwaine didn't have an answer to that question, but he couldn't help asking himself a different one. Why hadn't _he_ protected Merlin? Someone should have gone with him, but they had left him alone and unprotected with the son of the enemy. Again, it was Lancelot who remained calm. "We don't need to argue about Arthur now, we need to figure out a way to rescue Merlin. He's going to be heavily guarded, and Uther will probably want the execution to be soon. All we can hope for is that he attempts to question him first, that will buy us some time, but this will still be more dangerous than anything we've attempted in the past."

"We can't let him die." Gwaine said with determination. "No matter what, we can't let him die. I don't care how dangerous it is, we are getting him out."

Lancelot and Percival nodded in agreement. Merlin was their friend, their leader, and their savior. Nothing could stop them from making sure he was safe, so they gathered around the fire to plan how they were going to get him back.

* * *

Arthur hadn't slept at all. After being dragged back to his chambers by the three knights, he had spent the entire night pacing and throwing objects against the wall. Unfortunately, neither of these actions had helped him come up with a plan to rescue Merlin or provided him with stress relief, all he had accomplished was make his room a giant mess. His door had been locked and guarded, so he had no idea about what was going on in the rest of the castle, which definitely wasn't helping with his nerves. All he could hope for was that his father hadn't murdered Merlin the moment he was brought back to the city and that there was still time to set things right.

Arthur was still pacing as the sun rose and light poured into his room. It wasn't long after that that the doors to his chambers burst open and Arthur was pulled from his miserable thoughts by his father, a group of guards, and George (who had somehow managed to remain his manservant even after his countless attempts to drive him away). Arthur froze, not sure how to act as his father stepped forward and said, "Good. You're already awake. Your manservant shall prepare you and then you will accompany me to supervise the punishment of the prisoner."

"Prisoner?" Arthur said, "you mean Emrys?"

Uther gave him a suspicious look before saying, "Yes. Aredian captured him last night. I want you to come with me so you can see what scum he is. Maybe then you will understand that I was right all along."

Arthur felt his stomach drop. At least Merlin was still alive, but for how much longer? "What is his punishment?" Arthur asked, trying to not sound incredibly worried.

"He will be publicly flogged this morning." Uther replied, still watching Arthur with suspicion.

"That's all?" Arthur asked, smiling a little. Merlin could survive a flogging. All Arthur would need to do was make sure he got back to one of his friends afterwards.

"For now. I want to learn where the Druid camp is before I kill him. Aredian has consented to use his skills to extract that and other information before his execution."

"No." Arthur said without thinking. "You can't kill him. I won't let you."

It seemed his father hadn't been expecting this reaction and wasn't prepared as Arthur charged forward, still not really think about the consequences of his actions. The guards were more prepared, charging forward to restrain him before he even got close to the king. "What has come over you, Arthur? Why do you feel the need to defend this criminal?"

"Because he's not what you think he is!" Arthur shouted. "He's not a criminal, why can't you see that?"

Uther just glared at him before saying, "You will accompany me today, and you will watch as he gets what he deserves. He is nothing more than a filthy sorcerer and a thief, his mere existence is a crime."

Arthur slumped in the guard's arms. There was nothing he could do now, and fighting wouldn't help anything unless it got him locked in a cell next to Merlin, although Uther probably wouldn't be that shortsighted. If he complied now his father might let down his guard, and he might be able to get out and see Merlin and try to figure out a way to get him out before it was too late. He let George dress him and tried to eat some of the food served to him before following his father out to the balcony above the town square where a whipping pole had been set up. Arthur felt rage and shame boil within him as he thought about what was about to happen. Merlin was the last person who deserved this, and it was his fault. If he hadn't been so stupid, if he hadn't lead Aredian straight to him, none of this would be happening. A large crowd had gathered below them, no doubt the news of Merlin's capture had spread like wildfire, how could it not have? The greatest thief of their time, the man who had been making a fool out of the king for months and saving the people from starvation was going to be flogged today, who could miss this? Arthur scanned the crowd, but couldn't find Lancelot, Percival, or Gwaine, which meant Merlin didn't have much of a chance of escaping before his flogging, unless there was some type of miracle.

Arthur's eyes were pulled from the crowd as the doors that lead down to the prison opened and Merlin was escorted out by a group of knights. Aredian walked in front of the group, with two knights separating him and Merlin who was walking with his head held high even though his arms were bound and the collar was still around his neck. He looked much paler than usual, which made Arthur nervous. There were two more knights behind him, completing the group from the dungeons. Merlin didn't show any signs of fear or anger as he was pushed up the stairs to the whipping post and one of the knights fixed his shackles to the top. It wasn't until Arthur saw Merlin's face that he noticed any emotions. Merlin glared at him, with a hate more intense than anything Arthur had ever experienced. He didn't know what to think, and was glad that Merlin was forced to turn away as the knights finished securing him. Aredian then cut Merlin's shirt off, leaving his chest and back exposed as Uther began to speak.

"People of Camelot," Uther cried out, "Emrys has terrorized our kingdom for far too long." This was met by a fair amount of booing from the crowds gather below, which only caused his father to grow angrier. Arthur wished they would stop, all they could achieve with their dissention was more pain for Merlin. Uther cleared his throat and shouted over the cries of the people. "He tricked many of you with his magic, making you believe he had a better way while he schemed and stole, destroying our homes from within. But, as your king, I have sworn to protect all of you from threats like him. Not even the strongest of sorcerer's could stand up to me. Remember that before you side with freaks like him, remember that I am the king, and that not even all the magic in the lands can stop me. Today, we mark the end of a great threat to our peace, and the dawn of a new day for Camelot."

Then a man dressed all in black stepped forward on the platform, a long leather whip in his hands, and, with the signal from Uther, he brought the cord up before swinging it down onto Merlin's back with a resounding crack. Merlin was silent through the first blow, but by the way his body twisted it was obvious that he was in pain. As the man raised the whip once more, Uther turned to Arthur and said, "Do you understand now, my son?"

Arthur turned to his father so as not to see the whip crash against Merlin's bare back once again, but he couldn't block out the sound it made as it hit flesh. There were tears falling from his eyes as he replied to his father saying, "What is there to understand? You're punishing a man for protecting the people, for doing your job for you. He doesn't deserve this."

"No." Uther growled, glaring at his son for a moment before turning his gaze back to Merlin. "He deserves so much worse."

"Do you know what's happening to the people?" Arthur asked, trying to block out the sound of the fifth swing of the whip, "They're dying. Mothers and fathers cannot pay for medicine and are forced to leave their children with nothing. The people are starving, and when someone stands up for them, when someone tries to stop your madness, this is what you do to him. He never hurt anyone, he only wanted to protect his people."

"He is nothing more than a thief." Uther said, smiling as Merlin let out a heart-wrenching scream on the eighth blow. "He is scum who was seduced by the powers of sorcery and used those powers to attempt to pull this kingdom apart. I am ashamed that even you would succumb to his powers. I thought I raised you better."

"Father," Arthur started before Uther cut him off, saying "I will hear no more on this matter. Emrys is nothing but a pathetic man who has fallen to my power. Soon he will be gone and you will see sense."

Arthur knew that would never happen. He couldn't allow that to happen. No matter what Merlin felt for him now, Arthur had to save him. Nothing was more important than that. And if saving him meant staying silent for once when he wanted to argue, then he would do just that. The only noises from the courtyard below were the sounds of Merlin's screams and the cracking of the whip. Everyone else had gone completely silent, simply watching with anger as their savior and hero was beaten. Arthur joined in their solemn vigil from his place on the balcony, wishing that there was something more he could do, some way to stop this atrocity, but of course there was nothing. He was stuck, separated completely from the man he loved. Soon, even Merlin had stopped making noises as he hung limply in his chains, blood dripping down his back.

As the man in black brought his whip down on the twentieth stroke, the ordeal was finally over. The knights standing at attention behind Merlin pulled him off the post and dragged him back down to the dungeons. Merlin didn't move at all this time, looking so different from the proud man who had walked out from the prison with his head held high. Arthur wouldn't allow this to continue, he couldn't. He had told Merlin he would fight with everything he had to keep Uther from hurting him, and now it was time time for him to uphold his promise.

* * *

Merlin woke to a strange stinging in his back. It was different from the fire that seemed to be burning all along his skin, and as it moved over all the lash wounds the fire seemed to recede, leaving only a dull throbbing in its place. As Merlin groaned the stinging stopped momentarily and a voice asked, "Emrys? Are you really Emrys?"

"Who are you?" Merlin asked, or tried to ask. His body didn't really seem to want to do as he told it, so his words were slurred together, but the voice seemed to understand as it replied, "I am Gaius, the court physician. Aredian wants me to make sure you don't die before he gets a chance to question you."

"Ugh." Merlin groaned and tried to readjust his limbs but stopped as the movement pulled on his wounds and almost sent him back into unconsciousness. The stinging resumed and Gaius asked, "So, can you tell me? Are you really the Emrys of legend?"

"Supposedly." Merlin replied, "Although for the sake of this kingdom, I sincerely hope not. I've lost."

"Don't give up yet." Gaius whispered, "The people still need you. They won't give up hope."

Merlin slowly twisted his head so he could see the man treating his wounds. He was old and had white hair that reached down to his shoulders. He looked wise but tired, Merlin wished he could share his hope, give him some assurance that he would keep fighting, but he couldn't. Not now that Arthur had betrayed him. He was stuck, and in less than ten days he would be dead. Gaius was silent for the remaining time he spent down in the dungeons cleaning Merlin's wounds, and soon he was gone as well, leaving Merlin alone in his prison.

* * *

Arthur had to see Merlin. He didn't know how, all he knew was that he couldn't leave him alone in the darkness. He had been escorted back to his chambers immediately after Merlin was taken back down to the dungeons, and he had been stuck there for the rest of the day. George had come to prepare him for a celebration in honor of Aredian's capture of Emrys, but he had refused, and apparently his father hadn't cared all that much, allowing him to stay in his chambers instead of ruining the party with arguments that would probably end with him being sent back to his room anyways. He had begun pacing again as the sun set, having to walk in a zigzag to avoid all the broken pieces of the objects he had thrown last night. Eventually he became too exhausted to move anymore, so he collapsed on his bed, sinking into an uneasy sleep. George returned in the morning, bringing his breakfast and news from the castle. There was nothing on Merlin though, just random gossip that George had felt was necessary to pass on along with his terrible jokes. When he left Arthur checked the door again, and found that it was still guarded and he was still stuck. He was considering attempting to make himself sick so he could at least be taken to Gaius and maybe have a better chance of escaping from there when the doors to his chambers burst open and Leon ran in shouting. "Sire! Are you alright?"

"Yes, Leon, I'm fine. But Merlin isn't. I need to see him."

Leon nodded, and glanced back towards the doors before saying, "I think I can arrange that. I can't get him out though, Arthur. He's not just guarded by our men, Aredian has barely taken his eyes off him for a moment."

"I know, but I need to talk to him. This is all my fault, Leon. I need to talk to him."

"Alright, Arthur. Let's go." Leon said before making his way back towards the door.

"Wait, right now? What about the guard?" Arthur asked, confused about how they could possibly make it down to the dungeons with the castle on such high alert.

"Who do you think sets the guards?" Leon said with a smile. "We'll be fine."

Arthur smiled and said, "Ah, I forgot. Then we should go, quickly, while most of the castle is still hung over from the party." He followed Leon out the door, where two younger knights were keeping watch. They each gave a small bow to Arthur before shutting the door and going back to their positions as if nothing had changed.

They raced down the stairs, through the less-traveled hallways, until they reached the passage down to the dungeons. Leon stopped suddenly, causing Arthur to slam into his back.

"Sorry Sire," Leon said, "it's just, I think you should go down alone. The guards posted should let you pass, and Aredian was still in his chambers last I checked."

"Thank you, Leon." Arthur said, "You should get away from here. If I get caught I don't want you to get in trouble as well."

Leon nodded and retreated back up the stairs as Arthur descended the steps that would take him to his imprisoned love.


	15. Chapter 15: Earning It

**AN: Hey everybody!**

**How's it going? I'm sorry I haven't been replying to reviews, I spent the day in the hospital and have been crazy on painkillers lately so things have been a bit silly over here. Anyhoo, really wanted to post more because I love all the wonderful people who review and I want to give them everything! Or at least another chapter. You are all fabulous. **

**And this chapter was also edited by starwater13! YAY! it's kind of awesome because she gets my sense of humor, which got slightly prevalent in this chapter. It was mostly stupid, but I did it anyways... Hope no one minds**

**Still don't own Merlin. I may have seen a dragon while on dilaudid, but that's not helping..(drugs were for medicine! I swear! Just made me laugh what they decided to give me)**

Chapter Fifteen: Earning it

Arthur had to admit, Leon was amazing. The two men guarding the dungeons also let him pass with a bow, neither questioning what he would be doing down in the dungeons whose only occupant was a prisoner who was permitted no visitors. It didn't take him long to find the cell Merlin had been locked in, it had a lone guard standing in front of it, monitoring the dark hallway. Arthur approached him and said, "I need to speak with the prisoner, alone." The man tilted his head and walked back towards the entrance of the prison, leaving Arthur with Merlin.

"Merlin!" Arthur called through the bars, "I need to talk to you."

He heard a clanking of chains as the shadowy figure in the back of the cell shifted slightly. "Get away from me, Arthur. I don't want to speak with you."

Arthur was confused. Why wouldn't Merlin want to talk? "But-"

"NO, Arthur! Leave me alone." Merlin shouted, then shifted again before saying, "I should have known, god damn it! How could I be so stupid!" Arthur didn't know if Merlin was speaking to him or not, but he kept listening, hoping that Merlin would say something that would explain why he didn't want to talk.

"I thought you loved me!" Merlin continued, "I really thought the son of Uther fucking Pendragon loved me! I trusted you with everything, I was so stupid! And you, with your sympathetic words and scheming lies, you tricked me. Well, now at least maybe your father will be proud you. I hope you got what you wanted, Arthur. At least now I know the truth."

Arthur was speechless. It sounded like Merlin thought that he had lead Aredian to him purposefully. How could he possibly think that? Arthur loved him, more than anything, he could never betray Merlin. He was about to protest as Merlin continued with his speech in a much softer voice, saying, "And do you know what the worst part is, Arthur? Even after everything you've done, I still feel this urge to protect you. For some reason your backstabbing life is more important than mine, according to my fucking destiny."

He seemed to be done as he moved once more and the chains rattled again. Arthur was still slightly stunned, but he decided to use this as a chance to get his own voice in before Merlin started yelling at him again.

"Merlin, I didn't mean to lead Aredian to you."

The chains rattled again but there was no other response, so Arthur continued.

"He must have had me watched, and followed me when I went to warn you. I love you, Merlin. And I still do. And I am going to do whatever it takes to get you out of here."

"Shut up, Arthur." Merlin said, sounding slightly less angry this time, "I'm not falling for your tricks again."

"I'm not trying to trick you." Arthur said, his voice bordering on hysterical. "I've never lied to you. If I wanted to turn you in to my father I could have done it much sooner and gotten all the credit, instead of waiting and letting that witchfinder creep would get all the glory. I knew where your camp was, and I did nothing. And what about Morgana? She came to me because she knew I was different from my father. Would I really have brought _my sister_ to you if I was going to arrest you a few weeks later? My father doesn't know your name or who your father is or what your friends look like, all things that I could have told him if I was working with him. Please Merlin, think about it. I know it's my fault you were captured, and I will get you out of here, but I need your help. I need you to trust me again."

Arthur stopped. He hoped that that was enough, he hoped that Merlin would realize the truth. There was more clinking of chains and a few grunts while Merlin moved over to the bars of the cell. When they were face to face and the chains were stretched as far as they could reach, Merlin's gaze met Arthur's.

"You're not lying?"

His voice sounded so desperate, so hopeful, and so sad that Arthur wished he had magic so he could make the bars disappear and give Merlin the biggest hug he could. But he didn't, so he settled for reaching a hand through the bars and cupping Merlin's cheek. "No, I'm not lying. If you need further proof, remember the sigil. I wouldn't have given that to just anyone, it's all I have left of my mother. I love you, Merlin. I would never betray you."

Merlin gave him a small smile and said, "I'm sorry, Arthur. I shouldn't have listened to them."

"It's alright, Merlin. I understand why you would think that, I just hope you know that I really would never do anything that would hurt you."

Merlin nodded and his smile widened slightly as he said, "Please tell me you have a plan? I don't think I have a whole lot of time before Uther chops my head off."

"Not yet, but I will. I swear Merlin, that's not going to happen." Arthur replied, wishing he had actually been able to come up with something before racing down here.

"What about the key to this collar? If we could get it off, I could break out of here myself."

"Aredian keeps that with him at all times. I could try to get it away, but I just don't think we should rely on that. What about your friends? Won't they be attempting to rescue you sometime soon?"

"Probably, but they won't be able to do it on their own. They will have a lot more trouble getting into the castle without my magic. Our camp isn't far from the one you found, just about a mile north-east. If you could meet with them, I'm sure they would help you. You would just need to be careful, I'm guessing they may not trust you quite as much anymore." Merlin said with a small guilty smile. Arthur nodded, that did make sense. He knew he wouldn't be able to leave the castle, but maybe someone else could. He stashed that information away and said, "what we really need is another way to get that collar off. If we could remove it without the key, things would be a lot simpler."

Merlin nodded, but didn't respond, so Arthur continued. "Is there any kind of magical device, something that could open any lock without its key?"

"I don't know." Merlin replied. "I've studied spells, but I don't know a whole lot about enchanted objects, you would have to find someone who knows more than I do."

"More than you? Aren't you kind of the expert? Or is there some other reason that the Druids practically worship the ground you walk on?" Arthur asked, smiling a little.

"Shut up, Arthur," Merlin said again, but this time he also was smiling. "I may be powerful, but I'm still young. There's a lot I don't know. You would need to find someone older and wiser than me."

"But who? I can't really risk going to Iseldir now, even if I did know where he was." Arthur replied. What magic-user would help a Pendragon, especially now that Merlin was imprisoned?

"No. Not Iseldir…" Merlin said, obviously deep in thought. He pondered the question for a moment before shouting, "Arthur, the Dragon!"

Arthur looked at Merlin with confusion as he replied, "No, Arthur PENdragon. I am most definitely not a dragon."

This made Merlin laugh, something Arthur hadn't expected could happen with the current situation, but of course Merlin would be able to find joy even in the darkest of places. Unfortunately, the joy didn't last very long as Merlin winced, bringing a hand over his ribs, before saying "No, Arthur. The Dragon, under the castle, he might help us. He would know if there is any way of removing this thing without the key."

"Are you sure it wouldn't burn me to a crisp?" Arthur asked, "I'm not sure a dragon is going to really want to talk with me."

"Tell him I sent you. He trusts me, and he told me to trust you, so he shouldn't attack you." Merlin said.

"Alright. I'll get to the Dragon. I don't know how, but I will." Arthur said, squeezing Merlin's hand through the bars.

"Thank you, Arthur. I'm sorry I doubted you." Merlin said, returning the squeeze.

"Well, isn't this sweet. The prince and the thief, together again." A voice behind them said. Arthur jumped around as Merlin hissed, "Aredian."

"I sincerely hope he has some type of spell on you, Arthur Pendragon, because otherwise your father will be quite upset with you." Aredian said, smirking at Arthur.

"Don't you dare touch him," Merlin growled, his voice almost hidden by the rattling of chains as he tried to jerk his hands up further than his bonds allowed.

Aredian just smirked before turning back to Arthur and saying, "I have to thank you though, you've gotten more information out of him than I've been able to so far. Now I know that he was involved in Morgana's disappearance. I think we have quite a few new things to talk about, Emrys. And don't worry about Arthur, I'll see to it that he is escorted back to his chambers, although I can't promise he will speak with this dragon you were talking about."

As he said this he motioned for two of the guards following him to take a hold of Arthur and pull him away from the cell. Arthur wasn't going to give up that easily though. He jerked himself free, rushing in between Aredian and Merlin and shouting, "You can't hurt him! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"This is far worse than I thought." Aredian said, glaring at him and Merlin. "Guards, I need you to make sure that no one enters or exits the prince's chambers once you bring him back there."

"I'm not leaving him!" Arthur shouted as the guards moved to attempt to restrain him again. As he began to fight Merlin said, "Arthur, it's alright. I'll be fine, you should go."

"Yes. I'll take very good care of Merlin, that was what you called him, right? We're just going to have a nice little chat." Aredian said with a smirk[MP4] .

"Why are you doing this?" Arthur pleaded, "If it's for the money, I can get you more, just don't hurt him!"

"I don't think so, Prince Arthur, because I, unlike you, can see the evils of sorcery, and I will do whatever I can to exterminate it." Aredian said, before turning back to the guards. "If you need help escorting this confused boy back to his room, I suggest you go get it quickly. I can't do my job with him here."

Arthur glared at him, trying to muster as much hate as he could. His gaze flashed away as Merlin's chains rattled behind him. "You don't need to stay, Arthur. I don't want you to get hurt."

"And I don't want you to get hurt!" Arthur shouted back.

"Unfortunately, that is rather unavoidable at the moment. You don't need to be though. Please, Prince Arthur, things will work themselves out, but you can't do anything now." Merlin said his eyes fixed on Arthur's.

Arthur paused. That was the first time Merlin had ever addressed him as 'Prince Arthur'. Merlin had called him by his title. He had finally earned his respect. Arthur turned to Merlin with a look of confusion, as he gave him a slight bow before smiling and winking. Arthur smiled back before saying, "Alright, Merlin. And I will get you out of here, I swear."

Merlin just smiled weakly at him as Aredian said, "Don't get your hopes up, Emrys. The only time you'll be leaving here is when we take you out to be executed. Now, Arthur, you said you were leaving?"

Arthur glared at him before turning to exit the dungeons. One of Aredian's guards went with him, following him like a confused and nervous puppy all the way back to his chambers. He could hear the door to the only occupied cell open as he traveled up the stairs. He almost ran back down when there was a large, rattling, crash, but he knew he needed to get away. Merlin was right, there was nothing they could do without some type of help. Going back would accomplish nothing except cause more pain for them both.

* * *

Arthur had barely gotten back to his chambers when Leon burst through his door. "Did you get down there alright? I tried to find Aredian, but he disappeared."

"He's down with Merlin." Arthur said in a hollow voice. "I got to talk with him, but little else. We have to get him out of there before it's too late."

"I'll help in any way I can." Leon said, "But I don't know what I'll be able to do."

Arthur thought for a second. He would be under intense scrutiny, so he definitely wouldn't be able to get out of the castle, but he could at least try to get down to the dragon Merlin had told him about. Still, he needed more help, so he turned to Leon and said, "Do you think you can get out of the castle without raising too much suspicion?"

"That shouldn't be a problem. King Uther has many of the knights on patrol looking for Emrys' partners. I can say I am joining them for a period. What do you need me to do?"

"Do you remember the place you first met Merlin?" Arthur asked, and waited for Leon to nod before he continued on, "His camp is about a mile north-east of there, if you can get there you can explain what is happening to Merlin's friends, Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot, they will definitely help us."

"Wait," Leon said with a look of confusion, "Lancelot? Not the commoner who tried to join the knights of Camelot?"

"Yes," Arthur said with a little disbelief, "you remember him?"

"How could I forget? I was there when he spoke to the king. I offered to give him a position as a squire afterwards, since he couldn't be a knight, but he turned it down."

"Well, after that he fought a gryphon and made friends with a wanted thief, if you were curious. Maybe he'll remember you as well. I'm not sure if it will be in your best interests to tell them I sent you, most of them probably hate me at the moment. It may appear that I lead Merlin into a trap, so you'll need to be careful."

"Alright, Arthur." Leon said nodding. "I will go the first chance I get. Do you have a plan?"

"Not as of yet." Arthur said, "For now, I need to get down to the dragon underneath the castle, he might know a way for me to free Merlin's magic. That's my priority at the moment. Do you think you can keep the dungeon guards and the guards outside my chambers on my side?"

"I'll try," Leon responded, "but I can't guarantee anything. Uther still seems to trust me, but after today, I don't know. I suppose it depends on what Aredian tells him."

Arthur nodded, and said, "Do you know how the knights feel about all this? I need to know who supports me."

"Many of the older knights still side with Uther, but there are a few who only want the best for the people and are questioning whether or not Emrys' intent is evil. Many of the newer knights, the ones you trained, seem to be more loyal to you than to your father, but there are others who will do anything to impress the king, even if that means selling out his son."

"I want you to speak with as many of the knights as possible, try to convince them that their loyalty is to the people, not to the king. I'll try to get down to the dragon tonight, then we can meet back up and discuss what we have learned."

"Sounds good, Arthur. I will see what I can do about the guard on your room tonight." Leon said, before bowing his head and leaving Arthur to his thoughts.

* * *

Uther was pleased. He finally had Emrys, now all he had to do was wait. The people would become loyal to him once again now that that scum was off the streets. There would need to be some sort of celebration, some party where he could show off his wealth and power. He had begun listing off the names of people to invite to his manservant when there was a knock at his door. He stopped in the middle of Lord Sherringford Alistar Fennington the Third's name to order his manservant to see who it was. It was about time for his dinner, maybe a maid had brought it up to him. Unfortunately, it wasn't his dinner, but Aredian. He sighed and allowed the witchfinder in, hoping the man had some good news.

"Sire." Aredian said with a bow, his face completely emotionless, making it impossible for Uther to guess what type of news he had.

"Well," Uther replied impatiently, "what information do you bring me? Has Emrys talked?"

"Not exactly," Aredian said, confusing Uther, "we may have a slight problem. There is good news though, it appears that the Lady Morgana is still alive, and Emrys did have something to do with her disappearance. I have questioned him more about her, but he is refusing to respond to my attempts to extract information."

"Morgana is alive!" Uther said with excitement. "You have to learn where she is!"

"I am doing everything in my power, but it will take time. Unfortunately, the prince has put a brief hiccup in my plans."

Uther growled. Arthur needed to stop getting in his way while he dealt with this filthy sorcerer. "What did my son do?" Uther spat.

"He snuck down to speak to the prisoner, but, before you judge him too harshly, I believe he may be under the influence of a spell."

"You mean Emrys enchanted my son? I knew it! I knew Arthur would never act like this. You must force Emrys to remove the spell."

"I have tried, your majesty," Aredian said with the utmost respect, "but Emrys has refused. Besides the time he spent with your son, he hasn't said a word since he was arrested. My methods do not seem to be working as they usually do."

"I don't care about your methods, I just want my son back!" Uther yelled at Aredian, who unfortunately didn't seem very intimidated by him.

"I know, my liege, and I will-" Aredian started before Uther cut him off, saying, "NO! This is too important. I will speak with him myself!" before marching out of his room and towards the dungeons, his manservant, the witchfinder, and a pair of guards scurrying to keep up.

* * *

Merlin was in pain, but he still felt better than he had in quite some time. Aredian's interrogations were unpleasant, but at least now he knew Arthur hadn't betrayed him. As long as he focused on that, he was alright. As long as he chose hope over despair, he knew he could make it. He had a destiny to fulfill, so he couldn't die now.

Aredian had taken him to a different cell after had Arthur left. He had been chained to a chair where Aredian shouted questions at him which he refused to answer. He had stopped paying attention to what was being asked of him pretty quickly. It didn't really matter, he wasn't going to give Aredian any information, so he didn't feel like it was exactly necessary to listen. Unfortunately, it was a bit harder to ignore the punches, kicks, and cuts that followed each unanswered question. A few of the cuts were still dripping slightly, covering him in streaks of red over colorfully bruised skin. The interrogation had felt endless, but eventually Aredian had disappeared, letting the two guards with him drag Merlin back to his original cell, making sure his shackles were secured before leaving him alone again.

He was starting to doze off when a thundering noise pulled him back to wakefulness. It sounded like all of Camelot was stomping towards his cell, making _way_ more noise than was really necessary. His skull pounded with each banging footstep until the party stopped in front of his cell. He still hadn't glanced up at them, as it was probably Aredian back with more questions, and there was really no reason to torture himself any more by looking at his ugly mug. Merlin definitely hadn't been expecting the king's voice, so when Uther started screaming above him his head shot up.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON!" Uther shouted. He probably hadn't realized that Arthur was the best way to get Merlin's attention, as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, asking, "Why? What's happened to Arthur?"

"Don't fake innocence, sorcerer! Arthur hasn't been the same since you captured him! I know you enchanted my son! You will set him right, now!" Uther screamed, his face appeared to be glowing with the fires of hell in the darkness of the cell as it reflected the light of the torch.

Merlin laughed at that, "I did nothing to Arthur. He chose his side all by himself; I would never manipulate another's mind."

"You're lying. You've destroyed my family, you heartless bastard! You've kidnapped Morgana and subverted Arthur. You will set him right and tell me where she is."

"I did not kidnap Morgana, she left all on her own. If you had accepted her for who she was, she wouldn't have had to run away. And if you hadn't been such a terrible king Arthur wouldn't have sided with me. You destroyed your own family. But then again, your good at that, aren't you?"

"What do you mean, sorcerer? I would never hurt my family." Uther growled, still looking furious but also quite confused by that last statement.

"Maybe not your own, well at least not purposefully. But you've been destroying families since you took the throne, it was only a matter of time until you destroyed your own as well." Merlin paused to breathe for a moment, but as no one else spoke, he continued, yelling at the king. "You murdered my parents, Uther Pendragon! They hadn't hurt anyone, and you killed them! My mother wasn't even a witch, but that didn't stop you. You obliterated my village, you've destroyed countless families, and now you've destroyed your own."

"Who are you?" Uther asked. Merlin stood as tall as his bruised and bloody body could as he responded with pride, "I am Merlin of Ealdor, son of Hunith and Balinor."

Uther's eyes went wide and his face paled slightly as Merlin announced who his father was. He glared at Merlin for a moment before turning and racing up the stairs, his small entourage of guards and servants following after him. Merlin collapsed in his cell, trying not to think about what a big mistake he had just made.


	16. Chapter 16: Last Night

**AN: hello...**

**I'm back. I also am very ellipse-y tonight. Don't know why. starwater13 has already learned this as I think there were more ellipses than physically possible in the last email I sent her. And speaking of starwater13, this chapter is also edited! YAY! nice thing is she gets my humor. I hope some of you do too...**

**But, anyhoo, sorry about the wait! Things still a bit confusing with this new beta stuff. We are perfecting the art. It will get better when god stops conspiring against us. Seriously, I'm pretty sure god hates me right now. It totally makes sense.**

**AND MERLIN SEASON FIVE IN THREE DAYS! ok, I'm excited. Like a lot. There are also three more days to give money to Eoin Macken and Tom Hopper's new movie Cold. You can get lots of cool stuff for supporting them! Plus, it's Gwaine and Percival. You know you want to. Just go to Indigogo . com and search for the movie Cold. It should be pretty obvious which one it is...**

**Hope people like this chapter! We are getting to the climax...**

**And I don't own Merlin. but in three days the real owners are finally giving us new stuff!**

Chapter Sixteen: Last Night

Arthur was almost certain his father was going to kill him when he was pulled back to the throne room. Aredian would have told him everything by now. He had struggled against the men 'escorting' him but his efforts had been futile, one unarmed man against six armed ones was rather hopeless. Leon was already there when he arrived, looking rather confused and slightly concerned. Arthur wasn't brought before the throne for sentencing but over to his father's side, which surprised him slightly.

"What's going on?" Arthur asked, momentarily glancing over the king's shoulder at the smirking Aredian before looking back to his father.

"It's alright, my son." Uther said, gently patting him on the shoulder. "I know what the thief did to you, and I will fix this. You will be back to normal soon."

Arthur was completely confused as his father turned from him and addressed the crowd that had gathered, saying, "My loyal subjects, as you all know, Emrys is currently residing in our dungeons."

There was a small spattering of applause as Uther nodded and grinned. Arthur felt anger boil in his stomach as all these people who didn't know Merlin celebrated his downfall. They didn't know how good he was, how this should never be happening to him. The clapping finally died down and Uther continued. "Aredian has recently brought to my attention that Arthur is currently under the sorcerer's spell." The hall was deadly silent except for Arthur's indignant spluttering, not knowing what to say. "With this knowledge in mind I have decided to change the execution date. He will be burned at the stake, tomorrow at dawn."

"No." Arthur said, that couldn't be right. He needed more time. "NO!" He repeated, getting louder. "You can't kill him! You just can't!"

"Arthur," Uther said in a condescending tone, "I know you're confused, but soon everything will be back to normal. Emrys is evil. He's tricking you, meddling with your emotions. He's not even human."

"What?" Arthur said, trying to pull away from his father, but stopped by his 'escort' of guards.

Uther cleared his throat, and turned back to the people. "I have also discovered that he is the last of the race called Dragon Lords. I believed I had wiped them out, but I was wrong, he somehow escaped. He will die as he should have sixteen years ago. After he has gone, I will hold a celebration to remind the people that we are strong, and that we have conquered the greatest magical threat to the land since Nimueh and the high priestesses."

How could Uther know that? Merlin wouldn't have said anything under torture, Arthur was certain. Arthur glanced quickly over at Aredian, who looked completely confused as well, which didn't make any sense. How had the king learned who Merlin's father was? Apparently he wasn't the only confused one as Gaius asked, "But that's not possible, Sire. Balinor was the last."

"Balinor had a son." Uther growled, "I don't know how he escaped me, but it doesn't matter anymore. He will die just like his parents did, by fire."

Arthur couldn't believe what his father was saying. He sounded more cruel, more heartless than he had ever believed the man he had loved and respected could ever be. The entire court was silent, until a man in the back cheered in support. Almost everyone soon joined in, clapping or shouting their support for his father and Merlin's death. Arthur's knees gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, his guard not paying much attention to him in all the commotion. Arthur didn't know what to do. What if he couldn't get Merlin out soon enough? They only had one day, one day before Merlin was dead. Arthur was so lost to his own thoughts that he didn't even hear Uther dismiss him. He had to be dragged back to his chambers, his whole body felt numb. He couldn't lose Merlin. He had finally found someone, he couldn't have that taken away from him now, but what could he do? He had to get to that dragon, tonight, and pray Leon could find Gwaine, Percival, and Lancelot. That was his only hope.

* * *

Uther collapsed back into his throne with a smile. Soon, all this madness would be over.

He wasn't sure how the boy had escaped his purge of Ealdor, but that didn't matter, he would die tomorrow, after having lived sixteen years too long. Things made a lot more sense now that he knew who the boy was. He was about to head back to his chambers when there was a cough behind him.

"Sire," Aredian said, sounding slightly confused, "I am not certain I will be able to extract the information you asked for if Emrys is to be put to death tomorrow. Are you certain the execution should be moved up?"

Uther rolled his eyes. Apparently, even with all his knowledge, the witchfinder did not understand the severity of this situation. The boy was a dragon lord for goodness' sake, he could not be permitted to live any longer. "I understand the consequences of my actions, Aredian. The boy must die, and soon. You may question him all you like before the execution, but I can delay no longer now that I know what he is. My deal still stands, you shall be paid for any extra information you can bring me, but Emrys has already lived much too long. This will be his last night on earth."

"Of course, Sire." Aredian said, "I shall be going then."

Uther just nodded as the man rushed out of the throne room. Uther hoped that Aredian's efforts would not be in vain, but a Druid camp was nothing compared to the last dragon lord. He couldn't give his allies time to rescue him. Uther sighed, sometimes sacrifices have to be made, he thought as he strode out of the throne room and back to his own chambers.

* * *

Merlin hated being cut off from his powers. He felt restless, even though he was too exhausted to move. Aredian knew exactly how to cause someone incredible pain without actually letting them die, that much was certain. He ached all over, but even with all his pain his mind was still focused on something else. What would Uther do now that he knew who he was? If he had destroyed an entire village just to kill Balinor, what would he do with Balinor's son? The longer he sat alone is his cell, the more unnerved he became. Every tiny noise was magnified by his own mind, imagining each sound to be the executioner, come down to end it.

But it couldn't end.

Not now that he knew Arthur still loved him.

He had a destiny! What would happen to Arthur if he wasn't there? Who would protect the Once and Future King if Emrys was gone? And who would love Arthur?

It was strange to think of Arthur with some faceless beauty, crowning her queen, moving on. It wasn't that he wanted Arthur to be alone, he just didn't want to lose the man he was destined to protect, the man he had willingly given his heart to.

He had searched for a way out, but there was nothing. The cell was completely bare, even the straw that had been in all the other cells he had passed had been removed. The shackles and collar were quite solid, and with nothing to break them he couldn't escape. He had attempted to summon his magic multiple times, but each spell he tried to cast had failed, only causing the burning sensation around his neck to flare up before fading back to the dull throbbing.

He was ashamed to admit how much he jumped when he heard a clattering sound from the stairs. It was no longer just his imagination playing tricks on him, the noises had been much to loud for that. He slowly pulled himself to a standing position, trying to look as proud as he could. Emrys wouldn't die as a coward. He felt his heart beat pick up as he thought that word. Die. This was it, and there was no way out. He took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes as the footsteps neared the door to his cell. As he heard the clanking of keys, he did his best to hide his fear and opened his eyes.

Merlin sighed with relief as he saw that it was only Aredian. Uther wouldn't have sent the witchfinder to kill him. It wasn't over, at least not yet. Apparently Aredian had noticed his strange reaction, as he said, "Happy to see me, Emrys? Or were you expecting someone else? An executioner perhaps?"

Merlin ignored Aredian, turning back towards the wall and slowly moving back into a sitting position. Aredian didn't seem too bothered by this as he kept on speaking.

"You won't have to wait long for that executioner. Your death has been moved up. This is your last night on earth, Emrys, and you get to spend it with me."

So he had been right in thinking Uther would want him dead sooner rather than later. At least he still had some time. Maybe Gwaine, Percival, and Lancelot would come up with a plan before then. Or maybe Arthur would get down to Kilgarrah and find a way to get him out of here. There wasn't much of a chance, but at least now he could hope. And he would hold on to that hope for as long as he could.

"Of course that means we only have one day for you to tell me all your little secrets. And do you know what the best part is, Emrys?" Aredian continued with a smirk, apparently taking Merlin's silence as permission to speak. Merlin didn't give a response, but then Aredian probably hadn't expected one as he strode over to Merlin, grabbed his head and yanked him around saying, "I don't have to keep you alive for much longer. Oh, Emrys, we are going to have fun today. Or at least I am."

Merlin felt himself shiver as Aredian spoke. The guards who had been standing at attention behind Aredian finally moved forward as the witchfinder backed up slightly. They quickly unchained Merlin, escorting him to the same room Aredian had 'questioned' him in earlier. It was filled with rows and rows of knives, daggers, and other horrible instruments Merlin wasn't able to name. There was a fireplace roaring in one corner, and a tub full of water in another. Merlin had already become quite familiar with a large number of the knives, a couple whips, and the basin of water. Aredian apparently wanted to keep changing things as he moved over to the fireplace, pulling out a white-hot poker and saying with a grin, "So, Emrys, shall we get started?"

Merlin focused on the wall across from the chair he had once again been secured to as Aredian stalked towards him.

"What did you do with the Lady Morgana?" Aredian asked, holding the poker less than a hand's-width from Merlin's arm. Merlin clenched his jaw, still staring straight at the wall, refusing to even acknowledge the question as Aredian closed the space between the tip of the poker and his arm, pulling the skin taught around multiple lacerations Aredian had give Merlin earlier, and causing Merlin to scream in agony.

* * *

Arthur had been pacing ever since he had been deposited back into his chambers. He needed to act, Merlin just had so little time left. Still, if he made a mistake now, it could cost Merlin his life. He needed to make sure he wasn't caught, so he had to wait until the sun set and there were fewer people patrolling the corridors. He had spent most of the time waiting for darkness tying together every single length of cloth he could find, from his bed sheets to his curtain. His room was now a complete mess, but he had fashioned quite a long rope from the destroyed cloth. Securing it in his room had been a bit problematic, but he had eventually decided to take a slight risk and trust in the sturdiness of his bed posts, knotting the rope as tightly as he could before lowering it out his window and climbing down into the empty courtyard. The makeshift rope still wasn't quite long enough, so he had had to jump the last few feet, but he had landed well enough, luckily avoiding a large pile of horse dung by an unsettlingly small distance. He had then raced toward the dungeons, praying that the Dragon Merlin had spoken of would be able to help him somehow.

Arthur froze when he reached the stairs leading down to the dungeons. There were screams coming from deep within the cells. The cells that were empty except for Merlin. Aredian must have returned, in a last attempt to get any information out of Merlin. Arthur wanted to race down and free him, but he had to stay focused. He had to get to the Dragon. He couldn't risk being sent back to his chambers now, not before he learned how he could save Merlin. This Dragon was his only hope if he wanted to get Merlin out alive. Hurt, but alive.

Luckily it seemed the guards usually posted outside the dungeons had gone with Aredian. Arthur took advantage of this, lighting a torch and running down the stairs Merlin had said led to the Dragon his father had imprisoned. He had never ventured down these stairs before, they had been too close to the dungeons which only held bad memories for him. Uther had started using the cells as a punishment when Arthur was five, and the isolating darkness had become one of his greatest fears. Visiting Merlin had been one of the only times he had ever willingly gone down into the prison, his need to help Merlin overpowering his fear of the site of his childhood torture.

Arthur was amazed at the sheer size of the caverns hidden underneath the citadel. He hadn't exactly known what to expect when Merlin had said there was a Dragon under the castle, but these caves were more incredible than anything he had expected. The thought that he had lived above this gaping cavern all his life was slightly mind-blowing. He looked around, waiting for something to happen, not exactly sure what to do.

"Hello?" Arthur called out nervously. He cleared his throat, and tried again, hoping to sound slightly more princely as he shouted, "I need to speak with you!"

His call echoed throughout the cave. Arthur was beginning to wonder if Merlin had somehow been mistaken when there was a whooshing sound, followed by the clanking of chains as a giant monster descended from a corner of the cave.

"You certainly took your time, young Pendragon." The beast said. Arthur did his best to keep his jaw from dropping as he was confronted by a creature that obviously could swallow him whole. He gulped, remembered how much Merlin needed his help as he said, "Merlin sent me. He needs your help."

"Not my help, little prince. Yours."

Arthur just watched the Dragon, one hand on his sword as the beast continued. "You must free the warlock. It is your destiny to change this land, but you will not be able to do it without him. You cannot allow your father to stop you."

"I know," Arthur said, this talk was getting him nowhere. "I know I have to save Merlin. But how? My father has an army, I am but one."

"Why did you come to me, then? What do you expect a creature imprisoned for the past twenty years to be able to do?"

"Merlin said you were wise, he told me to come to you. We need a way to free his powers without the key to the chains that bind him. Do you know of anything that could save him?"

The Dragon stared at Arthur for a while, his golden eyes making Arthur feel quite uncomfortable. Arthur couldn't help but fidget as the Dragon studied him. He needed this information now! Every second wasted was one second closer to Merlin's execution. Finally, the Dragon shifted and said, "I could make you a weapon that could free Merlin, but you must promise me that it will only be used only by yourself, and only to further your destiny."

"I promise!" Arthur shouted, nearly bouncing with glee. He might have a chance at rescuing Merlin now. "I swear I would only use it for my destiny, just please, please help me!"

"Alright, young prince." The Dragon said with what sounded like a chuckle. "I shall require a sword."

Arthur yanked his sword from his belt, glad that he almost always carried it with him, and offered it to the Dragon. The Dragon shook its head and said, "That blade has been stained with the blood of too many innocents. You must bring me a clean, unused sword, the best you can acquire."

Arthur almost argued, he didn't have time to be running around looking for swords. Merlin had only hours left, and this Dragon was too snooty to use his sword. It was a good blade, even if it had 'been stained by the blood of too many innocents', whatever that meant. But arguing with a Dragon just didn't seem to be the best course of action, so Arthur took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I will get you a better sword and be back as quickly as I can."

"Run, young Pendragon. The warlock doesn't have much time left." The Dragon said as Arthur bounded up the stairs, trying to think where he could find a new sword at this hour.

* * *

Leon had left the castle as quickly as he could. There wasn't time to rally the knights now, he needed to find the people who already would want to free Merlin and hope that they would be enough, for Arthur's sake. He hoped he was doing the right thing and tried not to consider the possibility that the king was correct and Arthur was under a love spell. He didn't know much about enchantments, but Arthur seemed to know what he was doing, his personality hadn't really changed since he met the thief and he seemed more focused and sure of himself than ever.

And even if he was supposed to serve the crown, Leon couldn't deny that it was getting more and more difficult to remain loyal to a king who didn't seem to care for his people at all. King Uther might spend most of his time locked away in his palace, but the knights did not. They saw the suffering, they knew the consequences of Uther's actions. Some may have been content to watch the people starve, but Leon knew he was not alone in questioning the measures Uther was taking to ensure he remained the wealthiest monarch in Albion, and he had seen a general rise in happiness and healthiness since Emrys had started "attacking" the kingdom. As Arthur's friend, he knew how much the prince cared about his people, and wanted to help him protect them in any way he could.

So Leon rode as fast as he could into the darkling woods, praying that he would find the other outlaws quickly. The guards had not questioned him as he ventured out of the city, figuring he was on another mission for Uther and allowing him to reach the point he had first seen Merlin unhindered. He paused for a moment, letting his horse catch its breath before he continued northeast, slowing slightly and straining his ears for any sounds of the outlaw camp. Leon was so focused on finding Emrys' friends that he hadn't considered the possibility that someone might find him instead. He and was taken completely by surprise as three men in cloaks, one carrying a flaming torch, jumped from the dark forest, startling his horse which reared back. Leon was forced to abandon his mount as it continued to buck, leaving him surrounded and at the same level as the hooded men.

"What's a knight of Camelot doing alone so far away from the city?" one of the men asked as they moved closer to Leon. Leon kept his hand on his sword's hilt but left it sheathed, not wanting to startle his attackers unnecessarily. He gulped as the one behind him pressed the tip of his sword into his back and said quickly, "I'm looking for the friends of Emrys. He needs their help."

"Come out to try and catch us all on your own?" The same man asked. "Did you really think you stood a chance? Just because you have our leader doesn't mean we are helpless."

The man behind him grunted in agreement before pushing Leon to the ground and shouting, "Where is Emrys?"

Leon rolled onto his back to get a better view of his three attackers. At least it seemed he had found Merlin's friends. "He's still in the city, but I want to help you! Please, listen to me. The prince-"

As soon as the word prince left his mouth, the sword that had been pressed against his back was right in front of his face.

"Don't you dare mention that bastard!" The large, cloaked man roared. Leon tried to suppress a shiver. Arthur had trusted him to get these men, he couldn't let his friend down. The blade got closer to his throat as the first man who had spoken asked the other cloaked men "What do you think we should do with him?"

Before the third got a chance to respond Leon shouted, "Wait! Please, listen to me! Merlin needs your help!"

The three men froze, and the blade in his face lowered slightly before it was thrust under his neck, its point almost piercing his skin. "WHO TOLD YOU THAT NAME!" the large one yelled, causing Leon to shake in earnest. He tried his best to keep his voice from betraying his worry as he replied, "Prince Arthur did, when I first met Merlin in the forest. Please, I just want to help you! Merlin will die if you don't act quickly!"

Although the blade didn't lower from his neck, the mood seemed to lighten as the other two cloaked men pulled back their hoods. Leon recognized Lancelot immediately, even though he looked much more rugged than he had when he came to try out for the knights. The other man was a stranger, but must have either been Percival or Gwaine if he was remembering what Arthur had told him correctly. He caught Lancelot's eyes for a moment, before the stranger spoke saying, "You're Sir Scruffy-beard?"

Leon definitely hadn't been expecting that. "No," he said cautiously, "I'm Sir Leon."

"But you're the knight Merlin met in the forest, right? Sir Scruffy-beard!"

"I did meet Merlin in the forest, but I can assure you that is not my name." Leon said, feeling slightly offended by the thief's nickname for him.

"No, it's Sir Leon. You're the man who offered me a job when Uther refused my pleas." Lancelot said with a small smile. Leon was grateful Lancelot remembered him, it seemed he might be able to complete his mission yet.

"Still doesn't explain what he's doing out here." The still-cloaked one said, refusing to lower his sword.

"I came to try to get your help! King Uther is going to execute Merlin tomorrow morning if we can't rescue him soon. Prince Arthur is doing everything he can to help, but the king thinks he has been enchanted, and has been keeping him under guard. He sent me out to find you, he knows he can't do this on his own, and that you will need help from the inside if you want to get Merlin to safety."

"Why would Arthur help him?" the large one asked, still not removing his hood. Lancelot sighed and the other un-hooded one looked at his feet guiltily. Didn't these men know that Arthur loved Merlin? Of course he would be helping. "What do you mean?" Leon asked, "Arthur's been doing everything he can to help Merlin for months."

"But it's Arthur's fault he was captured." The cloaked man responded, sounding slightly more confused than angry.

"Arthur's fault? It was Aredian who caught Merlin. As far as I know Arthur had nothing to do with it." Leon responded. He vaguely remembered Arthur saying something about leading Merlin into a trap, but they must know Arthur would never have purposefully hurt the man he loved. As no one responded, Leon continued, "Arthur said that you might think he lead Merlin into a trap, but he had no idea Aredian was having him followed. I've know the Prince almost his entire life, he has never acted this way about anyone else before, he really does love Merlin. Please trust me. If not for me, then for Merlin. He needs you, I can get you into the city, and if Arthur's plan works we'll have a way of getting him out."

There was a long moment of silence as the sword at Leon's neck was slowly lowered, allowing him to move into a slightly more comfortable position. The three men glanced back and forth between each other before the large one finally removed his hood. As he did the dark-haired stranger said, "So, should we trust him?"

"Yes." The large man said, surprising Leon and the other two men as well as the one he didn't know asked, "You think we should trust him, Percy? I thought you still blamed Arthur?"

"That doesn't matter." The large man, Percy, or Percival, probably, replied. "We need his help to save Merlin, and we need to save Merlin. He's right, we can't do this on our own. I may not like it, but we need to trust Arthur."

"Well said." The dark haired man who must have been Gwaine said, offering Leon a hand up. He took it gratefully, glad to finally be at the same height as the other three men. He smiled as Lancelot reached a hand forward saying, "You may not remember me, my name is-"

"Lancelot." Leon finished for him. "And I do remember you. You had courage to stand up to the king, I wish I could have helped you more."

"To be honest, I'm kind of glad you didn't." Lancelot said with a smile. "I'm rather happy with the way my life has turned out."

"And what would we do without Lance?" The one Leon thought was Gwaine said, thumping him on the shoulder. "I'm Gwaine by the way, and once this whole thing is over we should definitely get to know each other better over a pint of ale."

"Gwaine, now is not the time." Lancelot chastised, although the effect was rather ruined by his large grin. It seemed the large man who must be Percival agreed as he pulled Leon around and said, "What's happened to Merlin? Do you have a plan to get him out?"

"A plan?" Leon repeated, wishing he had had more time to talk to Arthur about what he should do once he got to these men. "Well, Arthur sent me to get more help. I think he has a plan, or is working on one."

"URGH!" Probably Percival shouted and spun around, marching a few feet away before returning to say, "And Merlin? What has Uther done to him?"

"He's still alive," Leon started, "but not for much longer if the king gets his way. Just before I left, he moved the execution up to tomorrow morning. No one besides the king and the witchfinder have been allowed down in the dungeons since he was caught, so I don't really know much about what condition he is in currently, but it probably isn't good. He was given twenty lashes as a warning to the people who might side with him, and Aredian has probably done worse. I'm sorry I can't tell you more."

"Tomorrow? The execution is tomorrow?" almost-definitely-Percival said, a look of shock on his face. Gwaine and Lancelot looked equally horrified as Leon nodded and said, "I think that is when the Prince will act. Merlin is much too heavily guarded now to get down to the cells, at the execution he will be most exposed. If we can get to him then, and Arthur can free his magic, we might stand a chance."

Lancelot nodded, the look of horror morphing to a look of determination as he said, "Alright. We will need to prepare, get disguises, and hide weapons. You said you could get us into the city?"

"I'm Arthur's second-in-command, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I can order the guards away, or just tell them to let you all pass. The men should obey me." Leon responded.

"Then let's get prepared and get to Camelot. Merlin has been held prisoner for much too long." Percival said before turning and walking back into the trees.

"That's for certain." Gwaine said before following him.

"Our camp isn't far, we will gather our supplies and then ride for the city." Lancelot informed Leon while gesturing him forward. Leon followed Gwaine, hoping that this could work and Merlin might actually stand a chance.

* * *

Arthur had been to the armory, snuck through the empty wings of the castle and searched the barracks, but he had been unsuccessful in finding an unused sword. As he ran past the unused chambers that had once belonged to Morgana, he realized that what he really needed right now was a blacksmith. As he glanced at the door that had once been a pathway to the woman who had so often been his moral compass, he remembered another girl. A girl who just happened to be the daughter of a blacksmith.

Arthur switched directions immediately, heading out of the castle and towards the house he had visited once to tell Guinevere about what had really happened to her mistress. He prayed that she would help him as he knocked on the small door he was almost certain belonged to her and her father. Arthur hadn't really thought about the time as he charged through the street, and now that he paused, slightly breathless outside the little cottage he realized that most reasonable people who weren't dashing about to save the man they loved would probably be asleep by now. Still, he couldn't wait for her to wake up so he knocked again, hoping that he could wake someone in the house. It took him quite a lot of knocking before he heard some rustling about in the house, and a sleepy Gwen pulled open the door.

"Guinevere!" Arthur shouted, taking a brief moment to make sure he hadn't alarmed any guards before turning back towards the tired woman and saying, "I need your help!"

"Sire? What are you doing here?" Guinevere mumbled, obviously still not quite awake.

"I need a sword, one that has never been used before, the best you have. Please tell me you have something. I will pay you back as soon as I can, but I need the sword now."

"Of course, Sire." Gwen said with a yawn, still looking quite confused. As she led Arthur back into the house he heard a deep voice call out, "Gwen, who was that?"

"Prince Arthur." Gwen shouted to the voice. "He needs a sword."

"Did you tell him to come back at a more reasonable hour?" The voice called back, making Arthur feel slightly guilty. Still, it was for Merlin. This was more important than two people getting a good night's sleep.

Gwen just shook her head and laughed softly before saying, "Don't listen to him, he just gets grumpy when he's tired."

"Is that your father?" Arthur asked, trying to be polite even though he wanted to yell at her to go much faster. Couldn't she tell this was important?

"No, my brother. Father died in the plague a few years ago. Elyan came back to take c-c-care of me and run the forge." She said with a yawn.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said, "But do you think you could get that sword? A man's life sort of depends on it."

This seemed to perk her up slightly as she turned to him and said, "A man's life?"

"Yes. I need a sword to free him from my father. It's a long story and I really don't have time to tell it now. I have to free him so I must get a clean sword, the best you have."

"This man sounds important." Gwen said with a knowing smile, as she quickly made her way over to a large chest in the back of a small room.

"He is." Arthur replied, "He helped me find a place where Morgana would be safe when, well, when she left."

Gwen nodded, opening the chest and pulling out a long package wrapped in velvet. She opened it slowly, revealing a beautiful sword. "My father used to say this was the best sword he ever made. He was saving it for something special, I never quite knew what. He died before he got the chance to give it away. Elyan doesn't know about it, so I guess it's my responsibility to make sure it gets to the right person now. It is the best we have, no doubt about it, just promise me you will use it well. Emrys helped us when Morgana disappeared, don't let him die now."

Arthur nodded slowly. Of course it would have been obvious he was talking about Emrys, seeing as there was no one else about to be executed by his father. It was still strange to hear Gwen mention him, and the smile she gave showed Arthur once more just how great of an effect Merlin had had on practically every citizen of Camelot. "Thank you so much, Guinevere. This is perfect. I will never forget this."

Guinevere blushed slightly saying, "I believe you will be a good king, Sire. Morgana saw it too. Don't let us down."

Arthur nodded and picked up the sword, swinging it in an arc. It was perfectly balanced, and it glimmered brightly in the moonlight streaming in through a window. He could not have asked for a better blade. Now he just needed to get it back to the Dragon before it was too late. He smiled at Gwen before turning back towards the door. "I'm sorry to have bothered you so late at night, and thank you for everything. This sword is perfect."

Gwen smiled sweetly as he reached the door whispering "good luck" as he ran off back through the sleeping city and towards the castle.

Getting back into the castle had taken a lot longer than getting out of it. It seemed like the people were starting to wake even though the sky remained dark. He had to hide multiple times as groups of guards walked past, but from what he had overheard it didn't sound like anyone had noticed he was missing from his room, which was something. If the streets had been difficult to maneuver, the castle had been nigh impossible. He wasn't exactly sure how he had gotten from the Dragon's cave to Guinevere's house so easily, it seemed that every corner had a guard around it, and the hallways were bustling with servants performing their morning duties. Arthur couldn't help but feel nervous. There really wasn't long now. If he failed at saving Merlin because that stupid Dragon hadn't been willing to enchant his sword he would kill the beast himself.

As he finally made it down the steps that lead to the dungeons he noticed that the screams from earlier were gone. He strained his ears for some noise, some sign that Merlin was still alive, but the prison seemed silent. It couldn't have been time yet, the sun wasn't yet up. Still, Arthur couldn't help the fear that fluttered in his chest as he made his way down the steps in silence. He was about to enter the cells and make sure Merlin was still there when he heard a thump, followed by a soft grunt and a sound that was definitely words muffled by layers of walls. That had to be Merlin, which would mean he was still alive, and Arthur still had time! Ignoring the pull that still told him to rush down and defend Merlin from Aredian and whoever else was down there with him, Arthur rushed down the steps to the Dragon's cave.

The Dragon was waiting from him, almost in the same position he had been in when Arthur left to get the sword. He held the sword Gwen had given him high as he rushed down the steps saying, "I brought you a sword! Please, whatever you have to do, do it quickly!"

"Patience, young Pendragon." The Dragon said, moving much too slowly for Arthur's liking. "You cannot rush fate."

"But Merlin will die if we don't act soon!"

"The young warlock will not die as long as you protect him. Let me see this sword."

Arthur thrust the blade forward, holding it as high as he could so the Dragon could see it. As he held the blade aloft, he felt it slowly leave his grip, floating in the air in front of the Dragon's face.

"You have done well, little prince. This blade will do nicely." The Dragon said with a smile.

"Good. Now do you think you could do whatever you need to do to make it so it can free Merlin? I really don't have time to talk about sword quality right now." Arthur responded, shifting nervously from foot to foot and deciding that Dragons were the most frustrating creatures on the planet. The Dragon just chuckled at him. "Very well. I will enchant this blade, but first you must swear that you will use it only for good, and that you will see to it that this sword never leaves your care. A blade made by me will have great powers, in the wrong hands it could do terrible things."

"Alright, I swear on my honor as a knight! I will only use it for good, and I will never let anyone else use it. Just, please hurry!"

The Dragon nodded silently and pulled his head back before releasing a golden mist that encircled the sword, swirling around it and covering each section of the blade, leaving it glowing brightly even in the dark caverns. As the mist slowly faded the blade was lowered back down into Arthur's desperate grasp. The sword remained bright for a moment before fading back to its original color, the only mark of the change being a golden swath down the middle, marked with symbols he didn't know. He muttered a thank you and turned to race up the stairs before the Dragon stopped him, shouting, "Keep your promise, Arthur Pendragon, I shall know if you don't."

Arthur just nodded and ran up the stairs, clinging to the sword that now had the power to save Merlin.

* * *

Merlin had lost most of his ability to tell what was going on long ago. He had stopped screaming as his voice became too raw, and was now only able to grunt and whimper as Aredian continued to ask him question after question. He could still see, although weariness and pain had caused his vision to go quite blurry. He had also gone slightly numb, which was almost a blessing as each blow seemed to hurt less and less as he lost the ability to feel. He couldn't really tell what Aredian was asking him anymore, not that he really cared, he wasn't going to answer. It had been slightly amusing to watch Aredian get more and more frustrated as time went on, but now he was too exhausted to notice. He did however notice when Aredian turned and left, leaving him with only his guards. The pulled him up and dragged him out of the room Aredian had held him in, pulling him not toward his old cell, but out of the dungeons. He tried to get his feet underneath him and walk, but his body didn't seem to want to obey him and he eventually gave up, letting the guards drag him out into the sunlight where the hastily constructed pyre stood waiting for him.


	17. Chapter 17: Fighting for Destiny

**AN: Hello... Sorry this took so long. I've been super busy and my beta has been having trouble with snow storms and giant perogies, so exciting times for all. Well, for her. I've just been taking tests and writing papers and meeting parents and**

**WATCHING SEASON FIVE OF MERLIN! so, I won't say anything spoiler-y but OH MY GOD! I'm so happy with the new season. So much shirtless Gwaine...**

**But serious business time. I have a question for all of you. I'm going to put a poll on my profile page (if I can figure out how...) and would love to hear from people in reviews or messages if you don't feel comfortable reviewing for whatever reason (but also, only four more reviews before this story gets 100 reviews! come on guys, you can do it!) I'm going to ask the question in a note at the end of this chapter, so don't skip it, please! **

**And thanks once more to stardrinker13 for being amazing and helping me write this. She is seriously wonderful. And she is actually good at grammar and stuff, which I am not. If that sentence didn't prove that, here's another bad grammar sentence! Yay!**

**And I don't own Merlin. I'm happy just with the fics. Not sure I could deal with all the crazy fans like me...**

Chapter Seventeen: Fighting for Destiny

Arthur's heart stopped momentarily when he reached the top of the stairs, entered the eerily quiet dungeon and saw light streaming in through one of the windows in a cell near the door. It was dawn, that stupid Dragon had taken too much time. What if he was too late? What if Merlin was-

No. He couldn't let himself think like that. There was still time. There had to be. So Arthur ran, ran as fast as he could, up the steps and out into the bright light of the courtyard. His father was saying something from his position on the balcony overlooking the crowd, but Arthur couldn't hear him and didn't really care. All that mattered was that Merlin was right in front of him, there were only a few guards between him and the pyre Merlin had been tied to. Of course, in between him and Merlin there was also a torch, a torch that was dangerously close to igniting the piles of kindling that had been built up all around his love. Arthur froze for a second before running forward, the sword Gwen had given him still unsheathed in his hands, pushing aside guards, knights and citizens to get to Merlin, and make sure that the torch didn't get any closer to the wood at his feet.

It took a while for him to register the chaos he was causing as he crashed through the people on his way to Merlin. Still, it didn't matter as long as he stopped the fire from igniting the brush and burning Merlin. He vaguely registered that some of the townspeople joined in trying to clear his path and keep the executioner from lowering the burning torch to the pyre. Arthur caught Merlin's eyes for a second, but he looked completely out of it, like he could barely tell what was going on around him. He was paler than usual, and there was blood and bruises covering all his exposed skin. Arthur was definitely glad he had forced himself to train day and night for the past ten years, even if it had been very painful at times. He was much better than the startled guards and knights who seemed hesitant to attack the prince, letting him make it up to the pyre and next to Merlin. He couldn't turn the sword away from his attackers though, as the king shouted orders for him to be removed and restrained. The guards were circling him ominously, not giving him an opportunity to free Merlin's powers. He was panting slightly, blood pounding in his ears and almost blocking out the weak voice behind him that asked, "Ar'tur?"

"Yes Merlin," Arthur replied. "It's me. I'm going to get you out of here."

Merlin smiled slightly, exposing his bloody teeth momentarily before he sagged once again against his bonds, apparently trusting Arthur to fix things on his own.

"Arthur…" Uther growled from his position on the balcony, "step away from the prisoner. You're under a spell, you will see once he's gone. He is everything that is wrong in this kingdom!"

"No!" Arthur shouted back to his father. "This is wrong!" His shout was met with loud cheers from the people watching as they voiced their support for Emrys. "As king you should have protected the people, you should have taken care of them, but you didn't. You sat by and watched as people starved. You didn't help at all when disease struck, or when famine hit, instead you kill innocent people to destroy those _you_ labeled as evil. I stood by you, hell, I helped you, but no longer! These are our people, and I will not watch as they die for your greed and ignorance! Emrys gave them hope; he gave them a future; he saved their lives. Killing him will destroy this kingdom, so I won't let him die. Nothing could be more wrong than murdering him now, in front of all those who love him, who trust in him, who believe he will protect them from the very man who vowed to keep them safe!"

The people seemed to take this as a call to action, all of them rushing forward, ignoring the king's angry shouts and the confused cries of the guards. The chaos in the crowds allowed for three more men to climb up onto the pyre, all wearing dark cloaks and taking defensive positions around Arthur and Merlin. Merlin seemed to have noticed as he mumbled, "'bou' time you go' here."

Arthur took this as his chance to act, moving quickly to Merlin's side, saying, "I spoke with the Dragon. Bloody annoying beast, but he helped me make a sword. It should be able to break the collar, setting your powers free. Are you ready?"

Merlin nodded slowly before tilting his head to expose the side of the collar that held the padlock keeping it locked tight around Merlin's neck. Arthur raised the sword, slicing cleanly through the lock, allowing the collar to fall apart and freeing Merlin's magic. For a moment nothing happened, and Arthur was afraid that Merlin would be too weak to fight. Then, a wide grin spread across Merlin's face as he cried joyfully to the heavens and his imprisoned powers exploded outwards in a cloud of golden mist. It seemed as if time stopped for a moment, as all the peasants and guards froze, watching awestruck as the golden light emanating from Merlin was slowly drawn back into his body. Some concentrated on areas that had smaller cuts, knitting the skin back together seamlessly, while the rest seemed to gather at his bound wrists, slicing the ropes from him and remaining as two shining orbs as he brought his hands back around in front of him.

The only person who didn't seem affected by Merlin's awesome display of power was Uther. While everyone else looked on in awe, his face had turned a terrible shade of puce, the veins on his temple looking like they were about ready to burst as he yelled down instructions to his men, trying to get someone to stop Merlin from escaping. Merlin eventually noticed, as his head turned slowly, laughing at Uther's fury.

"You didn't think you could actually stop me, did you Uther Pendragon?" Merlin said, grinning wildly, exposing his bloody teeth. His magic was healing him slowly and seemed to have given him a small burst of energy, but he was by no means well. Arthur really wanted to grab him and pull him as far away from his father as he could, but Merlin seemed to have plans of his own. The guards had finally broken free of their awed stupor and were moving toward the pyre, swords and spears pointed towards the four men surrounding Merlin, although they seemed a bit hesitant to attack Arthur. Merlin just smiled before flicking his wrists, and the glowing gold light exploded over the crowd. At first it seemed like nothing had happened, but then Arthur realized that the guards had frozen, all still aware of what was happening but unable to act. Uther seemed to be in a similar state, as he remained silent although his eyes appeared to be about ready to bulge out of his head.

"You can't stop magic, Uther, and you can't fight fate. Maybe someday that will make it through your thick skull." Merlin looked like he wanted to keep talking, but Arthur decided that this maybe wasn't the best of times, moving to Merlin's side and saying, "I think it might be time to go. Your magic may be back, but you're still injured."

Percival nodded in agreement as Merlin pouted slightly, but eventually agreed. "Alright. I may need some help though."

As soon as the words left his mouth Percival was at his side, supporting him as he moved away from the pyre. Arthur took the other side while Lancelot moved to the rear and Gwaine led the way. They were just about to step off the platform when another voice rang through the courtyard.

"You're not going anywhere."

Arthur felt Merlin tense as he recognized the new voice. "And what are you going to do to stop me?" Merlin shouted back, taking some of his weight off Arthur as he tried to stand tall.

"If you take another step, I'll kill her." Aredian said, as the crowd parted around him. For some reason Merlin's spell must not have worked on him as it had on the knights and guards. He was about twenty feet in front of them, and he wasn't alone. He had a hold of a young girl, a knife pressed against her throat. The little girl was crying and looked terrified as Aredian yanked her blonde hair, forcing her to bend her head back and expose her neck, and extracting a small yelp. A woman from the crowd, probably the girl's mother cried out, "Emily! No!" and tried to push her way through the crowd to Aredian, but was stopped by a couple of large men who had gathered around Aredian. Aredian smirked at Merlin's horrorstruck expression and said, "I figured there would be some ill-conceived escape plot, so I thought I would get myself some insurance. Even with your magic, you can't save her. You see, that lovely little collar wasn't the only magical artifact I brought with me. None of your spells will have any effect on me, you have no power over me. One wrong move and I'll slit her throat."

Arthur could feel Merlin tense as Aredian spoke, almost drooping a little as the witchfinder finished. He stayed completely still though, obviously worried about the child, as he said, "Let her go, Aredian. She has nothing to do with this."

"I know and I will, as soon as you release the guards and get back on that pyre. Now, hurry up Emrys! Little Emily won't have much of a future if you don't!"

Merlin looked completely lost, all the happiness that had returned with his powers was gone as he glanced sadly up at Arthur and Percival before nodding in resignation. Aredian just laughed, all his attention focused on Merlin, missing Arthur's hand creeping down towards the knife stored in his belt. With a flick of Merlin's fingers, the guards were freed, many almost falling with their new freedom before moving to restrain Arthur and Merlin's friends, as per Uther's angry shouts. None of them struggled, knowing that one wrong move would end an innocent little girl's life, and Merlin would never thank them for that. Two of the guards had gone to make sure Merlin made it back to the pyre, one on each side as he tromped back towards his death. Just as he reached the pile of wood and kindling, Arthur's gaze flicked to Percival's as he gripped the handle of the blade, glancing briefly at Aredian before looking back at Percival. Percival nodded just as the guards started to rebind Merlin to the post in the middle of the square. Arthur heard him gasp softly as the many wounds his magic hadn't had time to heal were stretched by the unkind treatment of the soldiers holding him. That was the last straw for Arthur, who quickly ducked out of the hold of the guards who had 'restrained' him on the King's orders. Apparently gently holding his arms counted as 'restrained' which was rather nice for the prince as he wasn't giving up. Not by a long shot.

Aredian had been too focused on stopping Merlin, not on the other four men who had come to defend him. He may have had protection against Merlin's magic, but not against the very non-magical weaponry Arthur had been training with since he was a child. And Emily was small and low to the ground, leaving Aredian's vitals open. Arthur knew he would only have a fraction of a second to act, so he had waited, right until it was almost too late, before dropping from the grip of his guards, and tossing the knife.

As the knife left Arthur's hand, Percival moved as well. His guards had been no match for his superior strength as he yanked free, rushing over to Aredian to make sure that as the witchfinder fell he wouldn't harm the little girl still crying in his arms. And fall Aredian did, Arthur's knife lodged neatly in his throat. He was still smirking, not even realizing his own doom was upon him until it was much too late. Percival brought Emily back to her mother, knocking out anyone who tried to stop him with quick swings of his huge fists. Gwaine and Lancelot had sprung into action as well, fighting their way towards the pyre as the guards gathered around Merlin, trying to hold the two men back and protect the executioner who had returned with another lit torch as he moved closer to the pyre.

Merlin took the longest to notice what was going on, which was understandable in his condition but still rather unfortunate as he was currently in the direst situation. Uther was trying to take advantage of Merlin's ignorance, yelling down to the guards to kill Emrys before Gwaine or Lancelot could break through to him. The guards had had some trouble getting the message over the chaos of the courtyard, but eventually one of them did, stepping up beside Merlin, unsheathed sword only inches from Merlin's heart. Arthur turned from the guard he was currently fighting to shout, "MERLIN!"

His shout seemed to have woken Merlin from the slump he had sunk into, as he realized the change in situation and his eyes flashed gold once again. The guard who had been about to stab Merlin was thrown back off the pyre as if by a huge gust of wind. The winds didn't die down though, swirling around Merlin and scattering the guards, creating a huge funnel of dust and debris around Merlin, obscuring him from both Arthur and his father's view. When they finally died down, the middle of the courtyard was a complete mess. Uther's men had all been knocked unconscious by pieces of the now destroyed pyre. Merlin stood at the very center, the ropes that had held him to the post nowhere to be seen. His eyes landed on Aredian's still body, and Arthur couldn't help but feel guilty as he saw the sorrow that Merlin felt when he realized that a man had been killed to save him. It was gone quickly though, as Merlin strode out of the destruction. The only change in his expression came when Uther attempted once more to order whoever would still listen to stop Merlin from escaping. Anger filled his face as his eyes flashed gold once more and Uther fell silent even as he continued to open and close his mouth. As Merlin continued forward Arthur noticed that there were new tear tracks over the grime of the dungeons and the dust that had settled on him as he had destroyed the pyre. He looked terrifying, power seemed to be emanating from him, even though he looked like a light shove would knock him over. He stopped briefly as he passed Arthur, cupping his cheek gently and whispering, "thank you."

"Merlin, you don't have to thank me." Arthur replied, meeting Merlin's exhausted eyes. Merlin laughed quietly in response, not quite smiling. "What are you going to do, Arthur?"

Arthur hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'm coming with you." Merlin nodded, really smiling now even though it still looked like he wanted to do nothing more than sleep.

"You know what that means, right? You won't be able to turn back, Arthur. Are you sure?"

"Yes Merlin. I love you. I can't stay here any longer. After this I don't think I ever want to let you out of my sight for a minute."

Merlin nodded, hugging Arthur and saying, "I know it was selfish but I hoped you would come home with us. We may not have much, but we will always have each other."

Merlin turned away from Arthur and continued walking towards Percival, who was the furthest from where the pyre had stood. Arthur turned to follow behind him, joining Gwaine and Lancelot both of whom had been covered by a small layer of bark dust but where unharmed. When Merlin reached Percival, he tilted his head back until their eyes met and said, "Let's go home."

When Percival nodded, Merlin fell forwards against the larger man. The sorcerer who had looked so incredibly powerful now looked so small, so broken as Percival lifted him gently, cradling him against his chest. It seemed Merlin falling unconscious had freed Uther's voice, letting him yell and scream again, but no one listened. All his men were either unconscious, too nervous to act, or moving to help the group of thieves and the prince make their way out of the city. No one questioned Arthur as he followed Percival instead of turning back towards the castle. He had found his place, and it was beside Merlin, no matter what that meant. He knew that leaving now would cost him his title, his power, his money, his comfort, but he would get to be with Merlin, and for that any price was worth it. He caught Leon's eyes briefly as he left the city, smiling briefly before turning away from one of his only friends. Leon seemed to understand though, offering Arthur a brief bow before Arthur had turned away. With that, Arthur realized that there were still be people in this city loyal to him, even though he was running away. Or, maybe not running away, but finding a better way to do what he had sworn to do. Protecting the people was his duty, and now that he had the freedom to do so he would make sure that he neglected that duty no longer. Merlin had almost sacrificed his life for them, it was high time Arthur proved he was willing to lay just as much on the line.

* * *

If anyone had been on their way to the city as the group exited, they probably would have been quite confused by the procession that was leaving the city. A huge man carrying what appeared to be a breathing corpse, closely followed by the prince himself, with two gorgeous, dust covered men taking up the rear. All of them looked incredibly somber as they made their way into the trees, not stopping to look back as they fled the city that had been home to one of them and almost the grave of the others.

**AN: Ok, question time! I have two ways this fic can go from here, and I want to know what you guys think about them **

**1. I can make six-ten more chapters before I write the ending story with some Arthur as a thief, possibly involving Freya and segments inspired by BBC's Robin Hood (or other things like that I find, that's just one I like the best and already have some ideas for). I am totally up for this, I love this fic and if people would like this much of it I would be super-excited to write more. There would have to be a short-ish break as I figure out exactly what I want to do and how I want to do it, but I do already have some ideas, so hopefully not too much longer than normal (which is getting kind of long. I'm sorry. I have really hard classes this semester and having a beta I am only now getting to know is a new experience for me). So that's option one.**

**2. I can just move on to the ending. I have a pretty good idea about how I want to end this, and it would work now just as well as it would after a couple of chapters of Arthur being a member of Merlin's gang. If you are starting to feel this fic is getting too long and want me to end it, I understand and will work with that. **

**PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I will put a poll, although I will count any reviews/ messages with opinions as three points to whichever side they are for. I already have one vote for option one (my beta, not me. I'm staying slightly impartial...) so if you want option two definitely let me know. Also, if you want option one and there's anything you want to see, let me know! It defintely opens up some possibilities. Nothing will be as plotty/ long story arc as chapters 12-17/ Aredian stuff, but I think I could get a couple bits with two-three chapters for one story. But please let me know. I really do value your opinion. And if you have questions about this, feel free to ask! I will answer them all as quickly as I can ;) Thanks!**

**much love to all who share their opinions, **

**j3swimmer**


	18. Chapter 18: Recovery

**AN: Happy friday everyone!**

**Are you all extremely excited for this week's episode? Because I am. SO EXCITED!**

**But I'm still trying to avoid talking too much about season five as this is trying to be a slightly spoiler-less story. Well, up to season two, so far. **

**And the vote currently stands at six to nineteen, with the longer version of this fic winning, so it looks like that's what's going to happen. As of now I could still change it, although it is looking pretty unlikely as I've already started writing stuff for a longer version. I hope this doesn't scare too many people away, this story will not be over thirty-three chapters long. It's currently looking like thirty, but I'm not sure. Somewhere in that range, possibly a little lower also. I have about four ideas for Arthur in the forest kind of things, plus my ending, so we will see how this goes. **

**Anyhoo, thank you all for your opinions and support, I'm sorry to the people who wanted me to end this now. I hope I'm not boring anyone too much. And you obviously can stop reading whenever. Although I will miss you :)**

**And I don't own Merlin. But that's probably because according to a personality test I took a few days ago, I am Merlin ;)**

Chapter Eighteen: Recovery

Arthur was rather surprised that Percival, Gwaine and Lancelot hadn't knocked him out before they reached the druid village. They had remained completely silent all the way there, Merlin's limp body draping lifelessly in Percival's arms. The walk had seemed like it went on for so long, especially as Arthur watched the small drops of red dripping onto the path that Percival was leading them down. He knew there was nothing he could do to make the trip shorter, but it was still difficult to continue quietly as Merlin's tortured body continued to bleed in front of him.

When they finally did reach the Druid village Arthur was amazed by the change in the people there. Most had on at least some small scrap of black, and were watching Percival and Merlin in horror. Some even had tears in their eyes as they saw the still body of their savior laid out in Percival's arms. Arthur had to keep reminding himself that he was not part of a funeral procession, and that Merlin would make it through this. He was free, and he would live. Arthur wouldn't allow him to die.

Iseldir was waiting for them at the hut in the center of the village. He said nothing as Percival entered, laying Merlin down on the small cot in the corner with extreme care. Even with Percival's gentle motions, Arthur still heard a small groan escape Merlin's lips as he was deposited on the small bed. As soon as Percival stepped back, Iseldir and four other Druids Arthur didn't know moved to Merlin's side, each chanting and holding their hands over various wounds. As they did a tall woman who vaguely resembled Percival brought in water, clean towels and blankets, doing all she could without magic to make Merlin more comfortable. Once the five healers had started their work, Percival grabbed Arthur's arm and pulled him out of the hut. Arthur didn't really want to leave Merlin, but he also really wanted Percival to trust him so he didn't protest as he was brought out of Iseldir's hut and into the quiet village. Percival seemed to have something specific in mind as he led Arthur through the village at a relatively quick pace. Arthur didn't want to admit it but he was starting to get tired from all the running around and saving Merlin. He hadn't really slept well since Aredian had arrived in Camelot, but he did his best to keep up, knowing that this could help convince Percival that he would do anything for Merlin.

Once they were far enough into the woods and away from the village that no one would be able to overhear them, Percival stopped, turning back to Arthur and saying "Merlin may trust you, but you're still a Pendragon. I don't know what happened on the night when Merlin was caught, but I do know that you were with him when it happened. If you ever give me even the slightest reason to doubt you, I will make sure you don't get the chance to betray him again. And if you ever hurt him, I will kill you myself, and I can promise it will be unpleasant."

Arthur was slightly stunned as Percival finished and stalked back towards the village. It took Arthur a moment to regain control of his legs before he ran off after the larger man.

"Percival, wait!"

At first it had seemed that he would continue on, ignoring Arthur's cries but he stopped just before they reached the edge of the forest, turning back to glare at Arthur.

"I know it is my fault that this happened to Merlin." Arthur said as he caught up. "But I never wanted it to. I was an idiot. I wanted to warn Merlin, to make sure he would be safe, but all I did was put him in more danger than ever. He should hate me, you should hate me as well, even I hate me for how foolish I was. But I do want to help. I love Merlin, I really do, and I hope that eventually you will see that too. I will do whatever I can to make sure he is protected in the future, no matter what that means. And I understand why you don't trust me, but I hope that maybe, someday, you will be able to look past my birth, and see that I want the same things you want. I may have been born a Pendragon, but that does not define who I am now. I no longer follow my father."

Percival regarded him suspiciously for a moment while Arthur stood his ground, hoping that Percival found whatever he was looking for. After quite a long silence, Percival seemed slightly satisfied as he nodded and said, "Merlin saw good in you, and I can see why, and you do make him happy. He has suffered far too much, and if you are the cause of any more, you should know that you will have three able-bodied fighters to deal with. He is still like a little brother to me, and I won't see him toyed with by someone like you."

"I won't. Not to him, ever." Arthur said, looking back towards the Druid camp. "I've never felt this way before, but I know I could never hurt him."

Percival seemed to believe him, although Arthur still detected a small amount of distrust from him as he said, "Let's get back. See if we can't do anything to help Iseldir and the others."

Arthur nodded as Percival turned back to the village. The streets were empty until they reached the area outside of Percival's house, which was filled with quiet Druids. Some flinched slightly when they saw him, while others watched him with anger or mistrust, making Arthur feel quite uncomfortable. He wished he had that cloak back until he was tackled from the left by an almost unrecognizable Morgana.

"Arthur!" Morgana shouted, "We heard that Emrys was going to be executed. What happened?"

"It's good to see you too, Morgana." Arthur replied, trying to smile but not quite able to. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Arthur. But what about Merlin? What happened to him?"

"Uther happened to him. The king sent for a witchfinder, Aredian, and he was able to catch him. Aredian tried to torture him for information, but he didn't say anything. We were just able to get him out in time."

Morgana looked slightly shocked as Arthur told an abbreviated version of the last couple of days, wanting to get to Merlin's side. Still, he hadn't seen Morgana in months, and Merlin was most likely still unconscious, so he ignored the slight tugging in his gut, watching as Percival entered the hut.

"And does Uther know that you helped?" Morgana asked.

"I think it was probably pretty obvious when I stopped the execution by jumping up on the pyre with him, so yeah. I've made my decisions pretty clear, I don't think even Uther is thick enough to miss them."

Morgana nodded then pushed Arthur forward. "Go to him. He needs you, Arthur. Keep him safe."

Arthur gave her a quick smile before walking the rest of the way to Iseldir's hut. Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot were all watching as Iseldir and an elderly woman continued to mend Merlin's wounds. Merlin was still asleep, although he did groan occasionally as Iseldir or the woman moved to a new wound, adjusting his body slightly each time. Arthur went to stand next to Lancelot, joining in their silent vigil.

Merlin had not woken that night. Someone Arthur was pretty sure had introduced herself as Percival's sister had brought them some food, which Arthur had pushed around a bit before setting it down on the small table in one corner of the hut and moving back to Merlin's side. The healers had left when it had begun to grow dark, all looking rather exhausted as they trudged out of the tent to get some rest. Arthur and Merlin's friends had all gathered around his sleeping form, each sitting in a flimsy chair that Gwaine and Lancelot had brought back from somewhere. Gwaine and Lancelot had fallen asleep, but Percival was still alert, just like Arthur, watching for any tiny movement, any signs that Merlin needed anything. Every once in a while either he or Percival would dab a wet cloth over Merlin's brow, wiping away any sweat that had gathered there as Merlin did his best to fight the infections that had settled in after such a long stay in the dungeons in such poor condition. At times Merlin looked almost peaceful, if you were able to ignore the bruising and scars all over his body.

And Merlin was healing. Even after the Druids left, his wounds continued to stitch themselves back together, and his whole body seemed to glow a faint gold. Somehow, his magic was fighting to keep him alive, even though he was unconscious. But that didn't mean he was in good condition. His body was covered in scars, he looked paler than usual, and his breathing was slightly labored. Iseldir had said Merlin would probably wake up sometime tomorrow, but it was difficult to tell. Nothing about Merlin was normal, the amount of magic he had used in the courtyard before they had left would exhaust an average sorcerer for weeks, and would be difficult for most of the Druids even in peak physical condition, but Merlin had done it all like it was nothing, even though he could barely stand. Iseldir had gotten slightly used to treating Merlin, but this was much worse than anything that had happened before, and even with his background knowledge any guesses he made as to how Merlin's recovery was going to progress were very ambiguous.

After explaining all this Iseldir had tried to get Arthur and Percival to rest as well, but neither of them had taken his advice. Merlin would need them to be there when he woke up, so they would stay awake and by his side until he did.

* * *

"Arthur?"

Arthur almost thought he had dozed off and was dreaming when he first heard his name, but when it came again he knew that it had to be real, and he turned quickly to Merlin. Of course, the second he turned his back Merlin would finally wake up. He had just laid his head down on the side of the cot as his neck had grown stiff from watching Merlin sleep for so long.

"I'm here, Merlin. You're safe." Arthur said, jolting upright and taking a hold of Merlin's hand.

"You really did come with us." Merlin said, smiling as his eyes opened, meeting Arthur's.

"Of course I did. I'm never letting you out of my sight again. Much too dangerous."

Merlin laughed a little at that, but the laugh quickly turned to a cough. Percival must have been expecting this as he already had a cup of water ready, which he helped Merlin drink once he had stopped coughing for long enough to drink without choking.

"That was too close, Merlin." Percival said, gently rubbing Merlin's shoulder. "You're not going anywhere on your own, not for a long time."

"Perce, I'm not helpless. I just made a little mistake."

"A mistake that almost got you killed! Merlin, I can't let you die. I should have gone with you. If I had been there none of this would have happened."

"Percival." Merlin reached out to grab Percival's arm with the hand that wasn't entwined with Arthur's. "This was not your fault. You wouldn't have been able to protect me from such a large group of knights and Aredian. And I wouldn't have let you come with me even if you had tried. I will be more careful and nothing like this will ever happen again. Uther and Aredian got lucky that night, it won't happen again."

"And I won't let him out of my sight." Arthur said, "I promise you Percival, I will keep him safe."

Percival nodded, meeting Arthur's eyes and making Arthur think that maybe, just maybe, Percival really was starting to warm up to him. Merlin apparently found this all rather amusing as he laughed and said, "You do realize that I have more power than both of you put together, right? I don't need a nanny."

"Maybe you don't," Arthur said with a smile, "but I left my life as a prince to protect you. I think that I deserve some type of recompense for that, so I've decided to make you my servant until such time comes that I no longer require your services. You will stay by my side day and night, unless specifically ordered otherwise."

"Day and night?" Merlin said with a little smirk. "Maybe we can make this work, although I'm not washing your dirty socks, no matter what you left behind. Not even I love you that much."

Arthur and Percival both laughed at Merlin's reply. Arthur couldn't remember the last time he had laughed like this. The past few days had felt like an eternity to him, and must have felt so much longer for Merlin. Arthur was still laughing as Gwaine and Lancelot entered the hut, carrying three bowls of soup each for the group gathered around Merlin and themselves. Arthur was rather impressed that they managed not to spill the food as they noticed Merlin was awake and rushed to his side.

"Merlin!" Gwaine cried out, "You alright, mate?"

"Is there anything you need?" Lancelot added quickly.

"I'm better than I have been for quite some time, and some of that soup would be lovely. Thank you both." Merlin replied, smiling up at them.

"You need to take it slow, Emrys." An elderly Druid woman said. She had arrived early in the morning to check on Merlin, watching silently until Lancelot offered Merlin one of the bowls. "The amount of magic you used yesterday was a lot, even for you. You should eat, but have someone else feed you, and get more sleep afterwards. You need rest to regain your strength."

Merlin smiled and nodded at the elderly woman. "Thank you, Glynnis. I will be careful, but I really do feel much better. I think I can handle a bowl and spoon."

"But you don't have to, Merlin." Arthur said, taking a bowl from Lancelot. "I'll be feeding you until you've recovered. Listen to the physician."

Merlin gave him a skeptical glance but accepted the spoonful of soup Arthur brought to his mouth. When the soup was completely gone, Percival helped him take another drink of water before he fell back asleep.

"You two should get some rest as well." Lancelot said, looking at Arthur and Percival. "I'm guessing that neither of you slept last night, you'll need to sleep if you want to continue to help Merlin."

Arthur was about to argue before Gwaine said, "What Lance was too polite to say is that you both look like hell. Sleep now or we'll get Iseldir to send you to sleep anyways. We'll stay with Merlin, and we'll wake you if anything changes."

Arthur still didn't really want to leave Merlin, but he knew Gwaine and Lancelot were right. He was exhausted, he would be no help to Merlin like this. Percival sighed before saying, "Come on, Arthur. We can rest in my sister's house. She has extra space."

Arthur nodded and followed Percival out of the small hut, turning back to watch Merlin sleep briefly before heading out the door. As he plodded through the little village he realized just how tired he really was. If Gwaine and Lancelot had waited much longer to order them to sleep he might have collapsed where he stood. It had been so long since he had actually gotten a good night's rest, and his body ached from fighting for Merlin and running through the castle to find the proper sword. Percival's sister's house was well-built and looked to be slightly larger than most of the others near it. It seemed to be empty as Percival led Arthur to a small room in the back that had two small cots, one in each corner. Percival collapsed on the one farthest from the door, leaving Arthur the closest one. It was uncomfortable, especially compared to the luxury of his bed in Camelot, but that didn't stop him from falling asleep the second his head touched the small pillow. Things had definitely changed for him, but he knew it was for the best. Nothing he had at Camelot could possibly compare to finally being able to stay by Merlin's side for as long as the warlock would have him.


	19. Chapter 19: The Most Deadly Assassin

**AN: Hey guys! **

**Sorry about the wait! Unfortunately the next chapter will have a bit of a wait as well. You guys are definitely going to love me for this ending...**

**But this is the beginning of the extra chapters. I have three other ideas besides this one that are in the works before the finale, and I think they should be fun. Some of them more so than others. But hopefully they will work!**

**And I got a review asking about finishing Mirror Mirror. I will. I don't know when, possibly when I go home for thanksgiving break, but not right now. I am so sorry. I swear that it will get done, I just barely have enough time to write this one right now, and I really want to keep working on this so there are actually updates from somewhere. My life is slightly insane right now. Quantum Mechanics is ridiculous. **

**But enough about me, Merlin season five is happening! So far I love everything. I'm still not sure how I feel about Rodor, but that's mostly because I made up Mithian's father back for Rise of Emrys, and he was not so secretly King Eric from the little mermaid...**

**And Happy Halloween! I'm sorry I didn't reply to all the reviews this week. Like I said, I've been incredibly busy. I will try my best to do better this week.**

Chapter Nineteen: The Most Deadly Assassin

Uther paced back and forth in the dimly lit chambers he had borrowed from Lord Eldric, waiting to meet with the man who was known as the most deadly assassin in the land. He couldn't very well risk someone in the citadel seeing him with such a shady character, so he had arranged a meeting with his old friend in the south, using it as a disguise for the true purpose of the trip. Lord Eldric had acquiesced to his request for a private room with easy access to the outside town, allowing the man he had sent for to enter easily without being noticed. Almost no one knew about his true plans for the visit, so no one would be able to warn Emrys that the most successful hired sword in the lands was after his head. It was said that this man had been able to kill a king surrounded by soldiers without anyone even knowing he was there. There were other stories of him taking down scores of men in one night, including a group of sorcerers who had stolen from a Mercian noble. If these rumors were true, Emrys would stand no chance, and soon Uther would have his head on a pike. No one would question his power when that day came.

Uther was pulled from his thoughts as he felt a blade press against his throat. His breath hitched as he realized the hopelessness of his situation. He had already ordered all of his servants and guards away, not wanting to be overheard, and the man behind him would slit his throat if he made any motion towards his sword. Uther could see no other option so he puffed out his chest and said, "Unhand me, you scoundrel. If you don't, I'll shout to alert the guards and you will never get out of here alive."

"Do not fear, Uther Pendragon. This is merely a demonstration of my skills. There is no call for shouting, as I do believe you sent for me." The man said, lowering his blade and allowing Uther to turn to face him. He was a tall, bald, dark-skinned man with black eyes and a short beard. He gave Uther a slight bow before saying, "I feel it is only fair that the buyer gets a small taste of my talent before paying."

"Myror?" Uther asked, a smile curving across his face. The intruder nodded, keeping his eyes locked on Uther as he did so. "Impressive. I didn't even hear you approach!"

"I have studied for many years, making myself into the perfect weapon. Whoever it is you need killed, I can do it, for a price."

"If you can bring me the head of the thief, Emrys, you may have whatever price you desire."

"I have heard rumors of this Emrys. Am I correct in believing that this thief is a magic-user? My price is higher for those who practice the dark arts."

"Don't worry so much about the price." Uther responded quickly. "I shall pay you whatever you desire if you can do the job."

Myror snorted at this, before offering Uther a hand and saying, "I believe we have a deal, then. One-thousand gold pieces for the head of Emrys."

Uther hesitated for a moment before accepting the offered hand. One-thousand gold pieces was a large sum, but the amount he would make back once Emrys was no longer plaguing his lands would be much greater. Plus, with Emrys dead he would get Arthur back, and that was worth all the gold in the kingdom. Myror smiled and shook Uther's hand before taking a seat at the small table in the center of the room.

"I will expect half my pay in two days time. The rest when I bring you this thief's head."

Uther nodded, trying not to think about how greatly those five-hundred gold pieces would deplete his stores, and took the seat across from Myror. Myror asked a few questions which Uther answered to the best of his ability. He wished he hadn't had to resort to such desperate measures but things had gotten completely out of hand since Arthur had left. When he had attempted to raise taxes to repair the damage the thief had caused, a third of his men refused to help collect the amount he had asked for. Uther had banished each of them, and had been forced to hire mercenaries to keep his forces at least close to what they had been. Although the rest of the men did not argue with him, it was still obvious that most of them were not loyal to him without Arthur leading them.

And Arthur had not helped. His knowledge of the castle allowed Emrys to steal almost double what he had been before. They mocked him with short letters, Arthur trying his hand at encouraging his father to change the way he ruled, but Uther knew better than to fall for the tricks of the sorcerer controlling his son. Arthur was lost, but he would be returned once Myror completed his task. Then Uther could teach Arthur how it was necessary for a king to distance himself from the common people, how the prosperity of the country came before the stinking masses. Especially when those stinking masses thought it wise to side with disgusting sorcerers. He would fix this kingdom, no matter what that took.

And the first step in fixing his kingdom was destroying Emrys, no matter what the cost.

* * *

Arthur smiled as he looked across the fire where Merlin was helping Gwaine cover a sleeping Lancelot in leaves and dirt. It was strange to see the two grown men acting like children, but the smile on Merlin's face was so brilliant that Arthur couldn't help but smile with him. Percival was watching them while cooking the rabbits they had caught and occasionally tossing a few dried leaves and twigs onto the pile that had once been Lancelot. It was bizarre to think about how much his life had changed since he had left the city after rescuing Merlin. Even without his large bed, down blankets, and legions of servants he was happier than he had ever been. He was helping his people, he was free from his father, and he was with Merlin.

The first week away from the castle Arthur had been completely preoccupied with making sure Merlin healed completely. It had been strange staying in the Druid village at first, but as the people got to know him and saw how Morgana seemed to trust him they slowly warmed up to him. The hate-filled glances he had gotten when he first arrived were replaced with curious gazes, some even looking hopeful. Most of them wouldn't go so far as to actually talk to him, but he had spoken with Percival's two sisters who still resided in the village and their husbands. Percival had been acting much warmer towards him since Merlin had awoken the first time, and had even trusted Arthur to watch over Merlin for a night while he went to get sleep in a slightly more comfortable position. Arthur had also gotten the pleasure of meeting some of the Druid children. When Merlin was deemed healthy enough to walk again Arthur had accompanied him on a short stroll through the village. Merlin had been swarmed by children the second he walked out of the tent, all wanting to make sure he was alright and begging to see magic. Merlin had introduced all of them to Arthur and made a few sparks before Arthur had seen him pale and made sure he stopped. Merlin seemed unable to understand that he needed time to recover before he could go back to using his magic like he had before, no matter who he was. Merlin had frowned at him before explaining to the children why he wasn't quite able to play with them yet. They had accepted his explanation and had run back to their games, but would occasionally pop up with small gifts to help Merlin get better.

Once Merlin had been declared healthy enough to leave the camp they hadn't hesitated to make their goodbyes and be on their way. Gwaine and Lancelot had already gone back to get their belongings from the old camp while Merlin was healing, so they had had everything they needed to build a new small camp very similar to the ones Arthur had seen. Iseldir had provided them with the blankets that had become Arthur's new bed and Merlin had done some magic to make it slightly more comfortable, but it had still been an adjustment for Arthur. He was used to sleeping like this for a few days on extended hunting trips, but living like this was a whole different situation. But now he had Merlin to snuggle with while he slept, which definitely helped him get better sleep than he ever had while sleeping under the stars with the knights. Things were very different, but Arthur knew it was for the best.

It had taken another week once Merlin was released from the Druid village for Percival to deem him healthy enough to resume their attacks on Uther. Arthur had been both dreading and eagerly awaiting this part of being a member of Merlin's gang. Merlin had promised him that he didn't have to join in if he didn't want to, but Arthur wanted to help them protect the people. He felt guilty for doing so little before, and wanted to make up for lost time. He had offered all the information he knew about secret passageways, hidden entrances into town, and the schedule of the guards. They had been nervous at first about using this information, believing that Uther must have taken extra precautions against attacks at their weakest places now that Arthur was with them, but they quickly discovered that the king had done no such thing and they were able to sneak into the castle with ease. Arthur was beginning to get to know all the people they took the money to, and was amazed at how many people desperately needed the help they gave. The children who were practically starving, the elderly couples who barely had the strength to get out of bed, and the men and women who spent all day doing backbreaking labor, but still not making enough to live on. Arthur wasn't sure if he ever would get a chance to, now that he had abandoned his father to be with Merlin, but he knew that if he ever became king, he would make sure that the people were treated better than this.

Arthur was pulled from his daydreaming as Gwaine and Merlin decided that Lancelot was sufficiently covered in debris from the forest floor and had begun working on waking him up. Their shouts of attack eventually did rouse him, causing leaves, sticks and dirt to fly everywhere as Lancelot jolted up right. Merlin and Gwaine were now covered in most of what had been coating Lancelot, and both were laughing uproariously. Lancelot looked quite confused as he spit out little pieces of dirt and twigs, trying to figure out what had happened. He must have finally figured it out as he started throwing clumps of dirt back at Merlin and Gwaine. This just served to make them laugh harder as they ran from the vengeful Lancelot. It wasn't until a large clump of dirt landed dangerously close to one of Percival's rabbits that they calmed down, not willing to risk Percival's wrath or the destruction of the mouthwatering food for the continuation of their game. Merlin plopped down next to Arthur after quickly brushing himself off while Lancelot stalked off towards a nearby stream grumbling about freezing water accompanied by a laughing Gwaine.

"You sure you shouldn't be accompanying Lancelot for that bath, Merlin?" Arthur asked with a smile.

Merlin just rolled his eyes at Arthur, smiling wickedly as he whispered and a huge cloud of debris cascaded down over Arthur's head. As the dirt cloud finally settled, mostly on Arthur's head and shoulders, Arthur could see Merlin laughing as he backed slowly away from him. Arthur tried his best to look angry but was having trouble suppressing a laugh as he scooped up a handful of dirt to toss at Merlin who was quickly retreating into the forest. His dirtball fell quite short so Arthur jumped up in pursuit of the dirty warlock who was dashing through the trees away from the river.

Merlin might have been a fast runner, but his endurance was lacking compared to Arthur's. Eventually he began to tire and Arthur was able to catch up, tackling him to the ground and shoving as much dirt down his shirt as he could reach. Merlin must have been momentarily stunned as he thrashed briefly trying to dislodge Arthur before his eyes flashed gold and Arthur found himself on the forest floor with Merlin perched on his chest, his pale skin almost completely covered in brown. Merlin panted above him for a moment before he collapsed on top of Arthur, kissing him as they rolled about in the dirt. Arthur responded enthusiastically, kissing back and rolling Merlin over so he was on top and gained control over the kissing. Just as he was about to reconnect their lips, he heard a noise. Something too loud to be an animal. His head shot up, causing Merlin to watch him with confusion and ask "What's wrong Arthur? Why'd you stop?"

"I heard something. I don't think we're alone." Arthur responded, slowly standing up while nervously looking everywhere but Merlin.

"It was probably just an animal," Merlin said, standing as well and trying to resume the kissing. Arthur was still worried though, and kept surveying the area instead of continuing what they had started. Merlin must have been frustrated with Arthur incompliance, and Arthur's thoughts were interrupted as Merlin's lips pressed against his. But even Merlin's kissing wasn't enough to distract him from what he had just seen. There had been a glint of silver just behind one of the trees about ten paces from them. Merlin had backed off, trying to voice his displeasure for Arthur's failure to respond when Arthur heard another noise and moved as quickly as he could.

* * *

Myror had to admit, this Emrys fellow had been hard to find. Definitely one of his harder hits. He had had to threaten quite a few peasants before he had found a poor widow with three adorable little girls who had told him all about the cloaked men who delivered gold to her house ever few days at dusk when his knife had gotten dangerously close to the youngest girl's throat. Staking out the hovel of the widow had been incredibly dull, but the cloaked men eventually came, slipping like shadows through the stinking slums of the city. So, difficult to find, but it seemed he would be much less difficult to kill now that he had found him. He was young and quite arrogant, and sneaking up on him had been much too easy. All the magic in the world wouldn't be able to help him if he wasn't smart enough to pay attention to his surroundings.

Myror took a deep breath as he watched the two young men kissing in the woods. He had followed Emrys the second he broke away from the group. King Uther had instructed him to only kill the skinny young sorcerer and had given him specific instructions against harming the blond boy with them, so Myror had been quite disappointed when the blond had followed Emrys out of the camp and into the deserted forest. Still, this would probably be his best chance to complete his mission. Emrys seemed completely distracted by the other boy. The boy who he was almost sure had glanced his direction as he leaned forward, accidentally snapping a brittle twig. But his target had ignored the blond's warnings, standing up with his back to Myror, in the perfect position for Myror's crossbow to strike his heart. Just as the arrow released the couple moved again. Myror couldn't suppress a growl as the blond boy had to go and ruin his perfect shot, forcing Emrys down to the ground as the arrow hurdled towards him. The blond didn't move, leaving him right in the path of the bolt that Myror was powerless to stop. He was about to reload while praying Emrys was too distracted by his injured comrade to notice his presence when the very air seemed to explode around him, pinning him against a tree as a Emrys' screams filled the forest.


	20. Chapter 20: Promises

**I am so sorry this took so long. Quantum physics is slightly insane, and I have been working a lot. I am so sorry for the time though. This was terrible.**

**Also, still kind of on the delay note, this chapter is not edited. Hopefully someday it will be, but now it is not, so if you see mistakes, they are all my fault, and not the wonderful starwater13's. Blame me, and me alone. Again, I am terribly sorry.**

**For all my US readers, I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. I am super thankful to all of my readers, no matter where you are from (and especially the reviewers :) you guys really make my day)**

**Anyhoo, like I said a lot before, I am so sorry. I hope you all like this chapter. The next bit is pretty exciting, so hopefully I will get that soon and you will enjoy it as well. The good news is I am three weeks away from winter break, which means a month of no school and no homework, mostly just fic writing and watching the last episodes of Merlin. Which is slightly depressing to think about, but I also think they are right in ending it here. It is a wonderful series, but I am extremely excited to see how they end it, and I know I'm not going to stop writing about them, so in a way it will live on :)**

**From that speech you may have noticed I don't own Merlin. I do trust in the real owners though!**

Chapter Twenty: Promises

Never in his life had a smile fallen faster from his face then when Merlin looked up from where Arthur had pushed him to see Arthur lying on his back, an arrow sticking out of his chest. Why hadn't he listened to him? Arthur had known something was wrong, but he had been too stupid to trust him. It was all his fault!

Merlin couldn't control his powers as they exploded from him with his rage and sorrow, searching for the owner of the arrow that was currently embedded in his love's chest. He screamed in anger as his magic felt a man standing just behind him and he turned, using his power to drag the man from his hiding place among the trees. If Merlin hadn't been completely lost to rage and sorrow he might have noticed how terrified the dark-skinned man looked as the very earth began to tremble and the bow he had used to shoot Arthur turned to dust. Merlin kept his hand outstretched as he walked towards the man who had shot Arthur, dust and debris swirling around him as he approached, eyes glowing gold and tears streaking down his face. Just as he reached the man he heard a soft voice from behind him.

"Mer…lin" Arthur's weak voice huffed out. Merlin froze, his eyes fading back to blue but tears not stopping. He slowly turned back toward the source of the voice, to see Arthur, arrow still sticking out of his chest, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He looked pale, and there was blood leaking from underneath the hand he had placed over his wound, but he was alive so there was time to save him. Merlin dropped his hand and rushed back over to Arthur's side. His magic was still angry, holding the man down as he moved back to help Arthur. His instincts to protect Arthur were stronger than ever, and they weren't going to let the man who had harmed his destiny get away so easily.

"Arthur," Merlin sobbed, collapsing at Arthur's side. "I'm so sorry, I should have listened to you."

Arthur tried to laugh but it was cut off prematurely as a grimace tore across his perfect face. "Don't kill him." Arthur wheezed, keeping his gaze locked on Merlin's.

"What?"

"You can't kill him." Arthur said, coughing up a small amount of blood as he tried to grab Merlin's arm but ended up falling back down.

"Alright, Arthur. I won't kill him. Just lie down and don't talk. I'm going to fix you."

Arthur obeyed his orders, squeezing his eyes shut as Merlin settled him on the ground and moved to inspect his wound. It wasn't as bad as Merlin had thought at first. The bolt was stuck in his upper chest, not a mortal wound if treated quickly and well. Merlin quickly found the right words and began chanting over the wound, willing the flesh to heal as he slowly pulled the arrow out. Arthur was wheezing and grunting in pain as the bolt was slowly removed from him, but as Merlin's magic did everything it could to keep him safe. When the arrow was finally out and there was barely a mark left, Merlin looked up to see Percival, Gwaine and Lancelot watching him. Arthur was breathing gently, asleep with the aid of Merlin's powers.

As soon as Merlin was satisfied that Arthur was safe for the moment, he quickly turned back to the man who had caused this. Although he was able to keep control this time, he could still feel the wind picking up around him as he walked towards the man still being held down by his power.

"You hurt Arthur." Merlin said, his voice cold, surprising himself with the amount of pleasure he got from the way the large man was trembling as he spoke.

"I didn't mean to." The man said quickly, staring at Merlin with wide eyes.

Merlin tilted his head, watching the other man with curiosity before he realized what had really happened. Arthur had pushed him out of the way, which meant, "You were trying to kill me."

"Yes." The man said, still shaking. "T-t-the king, he offered a large sum for your death, I only wanted to help my family, please, take pity on me."

Merlin growled and pushed the man further into the dirt. "Don't lie to me. You did it for yourself. You almost killed Arthur!"

"Merlin."

Merlin turned quickly as Percival put a hand on his shoulder. "Arthur's going to be fine. Think about what you're doing."

And, as Merlin looked into the man who was his brother in every way except blood's eyes, he did just that. He was abusing his powers, and he knew it. This man may have hurt Arthur, but he had fixed it. Arthur would be okay. He couldn't forget everything he had learned from the Druids now. But he also couldn't let this man get away. He had still hurt Arthur. Uther had gone too far, and he would make sure he knew that.

"Thank you Percival." Merlin said, resting his head against his surrogate brother's chest for a moment before turning back to the assassin still trapped on the ground. "I know what I'm going to do."

"I trust you, Merlin. Just don't do anything you will regret later." Percival said, letting go of Merlin's arm as he walked right up to the trapped man.

"You're lucky I was raised by Druids. Otherwise you'd be dead right now." Merlin said, leaning down so his face was right in front of the assassin's. "Still, I can't just let you go after you try to kill me and injure the man I love. For starters, I'll be taking the money you were given to murder me. I think the people can find much better ways of using it. And let's see, what else?" Merlin said, tapping his chin as gold coins spilled out of a pocket in the man's cloak and into Percival's hands. "Ah yes. I don't really approve of your occupation, so how about this? If you ever try to pick up any weapon again, it will boil at your touch, burning your hands until you finally find a better way to earn a living. And finally, you will tell no one of where you found us, or how you found us."

With a few words in the old religion and a flash of his eyes, the spell was complete. This man would never hurt another again. Merlin smiled down at the man who had stopped trembling and was now glaring at him with a mixture of hatred and disbelief. Merlin stood up, releasing him and saying, "Run back to Uther. Tell him that I send my best, and that I will be visiting his vaults soon. If he still has the money to pay for assassins, then he can afford to take better care of his people, but until he realizes this, I will remain their protector, no matter how many useless assassins he sends after me."

The assassin gave him one last frightened glance as Merlin's eyes glowed once again, ensuring that the assassin really would do as he was told, before running back towards the city. Merlin watched the direction he had run until he could no longer hear the pants and crashes as the man tried to get away from him as quickly as possible. When everything was silent, Merlin took a deep breath, and turned back to where Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot had gathered around Arthur's sleeping body. He wiped away the tears that were still clinging to his face before he hurried back to Arthur's side.

"He's fine, Merlin. There's not even a mark." Lancelot said, smiling at Merlin and showing him the flawless, blood-covered skin of his love. "You kept him safe."

"If it wasn't for me, it wouldn't have happened at all." Merlin replied, running a hand gently across Arthur's brow.

"This wasn't your fault, Merlin. The only one to blame is Uther, don't forget that. He loves you, and he wouldn't want it to have happened any other way." Percival said, giving Merlin a one-armed hug. Merlin nodded slowly and said, "Let's get him home."

The other's nodded, and Percival lifted Arthur up very carefully. Merlin stayed next to Arthur's head, watching him as he took each breath and thanking the gods each time he did.

* * *

Arthur woke in their camp, feeling rather amazing for having just been shot. He slowly reached a hand up to the spot on his chest where the arrow had been, but felt nothing. No arrow, not even any bandages or scars. He opened his eyes, and tried to look down at the lack of injury, but it was the same. There was no mark. He definitely had been shot though, so how was this possible? He answered his own question as he turned his head further and saw Merlin asleep next to him, breathing gently as his face was illuminated by the flickering fire. Of course he would be fine, he had the almighty Emrys looking after him.

Arthur couldn't help but be amazed as once again his love proved to be even more amazing than he had previously believed. He rolled to his side slowly, reaching a hand out and gently pushing a few stray strands of hair back out of Merlin's face. Apparently Merlin hadn't been sleeping very deeply as his eyes slowly blinked open, finally clearing and meeting Arthur's.

"You're awake!" Merlin exclaimed with a smile, "How do you feel? Do you need anything? It doesn't hurt anywhere, does it?"

"Merlin, I'm fine. Stop being such a mother hen. There's not even any pain. You saved me."

"I put you in danger." Merlin said with a frown.

"I've been in danger ever since I was born. At least now I've got you to keep me safe when I do get hurt. That was not your fault. You saved my life, Merlin."

Merlin gave him a sad smile. "Part of me wants to lock you up in a tower where I could at least know you would be safe. Just protect you for the rest of my life. I could keep you safe forever, but you would hate me so much, and I couldn't live with myself."

Arthur frowned. He couldn't image staying in a tower for the rest of his life, but he knew what Merlin meant. He had the same feelings for Merlin. Merlin had been hurt so much in such a short time, but Arthur knew that Merlin would keep risking his life for every person who needed him. Still, it was terrifying to watch someone he loved so much risk so much so often.

"One day," Arthur said, taking Merlin's hand. "We'll live in a castle. And we'll have hundreds of guards to protect us. They'll be the best trained guards in the entire land, and we'll be able to be safe and take care of the people."

Merlin smiled back at him, wiping a tear away before he said, "That sounds lovely, Arthur. Just promise me that you'll do your best to stay safe until then, okay?"

"Merlin, I'm never going to leave your side. As long as you keep risking your life, I'll be right behind you. We can keep each other safe until then. Everything will be fine. We have a destiny, remember?"

Merlin nodded, snuggling against Arthur. "I know. And I will protect you forever. I just can't imagine loosing you, Arthur. I've lost so much, but I can't lose you. I love you, Arthur. You know that right?"

"Of course. And I love you, Merlin. You've done more for me than anyone else, even though you should have let me die the first time we met. I'm never going to let anyone take you from me, or me from you. I will promise that."

"I was made to protect you, Arthur. And I will never let anything get in the way of that."

Arthur sighed and smiled as he settled against Merlin, wrapping himself gently around the warlock, before quickly falling back into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Back in Camelot, Uther was furious. Just hours ago Myror had returned to the city, missing not only Emrys' head, but also all the gold he had given him to bring the sorcerer's head. He had muttered some infuriating message from Emrys before trying to run once more. Before he could even reach the doors the guards had grabbed him, making Uther wonder what the young dragon lord had done to Myror to make him so much more pathetic than he had been when Uther first met him.

What had been most infuriating though, was that Myror could tell him absolutely nothing of Arthur, Emrys, or any of Emrys' evil associates. As soon as his message was complete he could only gasp and choke whenever questioned about the sorcerer he was sent to kill. Uther felt he had been doing the man a kindness by ending his life. He supposed it was a tad unnecessary, but it had calmed him down a bit, and now Myror wouldn't have to face the rest of his life as a failed assassin. The pathetic worm should be thankful for Uther's charity.

But Myror's head was no replacement for Emrys'. He had to have some weakness, and as soon as Uther found it, he would make sure the filthy magic user never saw the light of another dawn.


	21. Chapter 21: Lancelot and Guinevere

**AN: Still no beta... hopefully everything is ok...**

**And I hop you guys like this, I had a lot of fun writing. Kind of exciting to have a new couple going on. Plus, Lancelot and Guinevere are adorable together. But anyways...**

**quick note on schedule. My finals are next week and I will not be writing that week. At all. I'm sorry, but studying is way more important right now. They will be over on thursday and I head back home friday, so hopefully after that there will be lots more time to write. I get a month off for winter break, and I am planning on getting a lot done then, so hopefully soon there will be a lot more updating going on, but for now, you will have to be just a bit patient with me... Sorry.**

**And as you wait for my story to update, you should all check out "the lost prince" by wolvesarecool. She is a new writer and talented writer who I've been chatting with a bit, and definitely deserves some support on her first major fic. It really is a lovely AU though, and if you need something to read, please check it out for me!**

**Finally, I don't own Merlin. The whole having to take finals thing might have given that away though... **

Chapter Twenty One: Lancelot meets Guinevere

Lancelot smiled as he looked over to the corner of the camp where Merlin and Arthur were still sleeping, their bodies so tangled together it was difficult to tell where Merlin ended and Arthur began. He had heard them whispering last night, he was pretty certain Gwaine and Percy had heard as well, even though none of them had said anything, and had been quite amazed by the amount of loved the pair shared. It had been strange having Arthur Pendragon living with them for a while, but it was worth it. Merlin was so happy around Arthur he practically glowed. Lancelot may not have known Merlin for very long, but he had never seen him happier, and no one deserved happiness more than Merlin. After working so hard to ensure everyone else's happiness, Merlin was finally getting his own happy ending. Well, maybe not an ending, but definitely a change, and a good one.

The only thing that worried Lancelot was thinking about what would happen to Merlin if anything ever happened to Arthur. He had almost murdered the assassin who hurt Arthur, and if Arthur had really died Merlin probably would have been unstoppable. It wasn't so much that Lancelot thought the man didn't deserve death, but Merlin would never forgive himself if he killed someone, especially the person was not an immediate threat. He was pretty certain that if that day did come, nothing would be able to pull Merlin back from depression, no matter how hard the three of them tried. Just like with the nightmares, there were some things Merlin needed Arthur for, and no one else would do. Well, Lancelot thought, he would just have to make sure it never came to that.

As Arthur and Merlin began to stir, Lancelot tried to look busy building a fire. He vaguely noticed Percival and Gwaine jolting into action as well, trying to hide the fact that they had all been staring at the sleeping couple and contemplating the future before they had woken.

"So Merlin," Gwaine said with a large smile, "What's it like having a Pendragon as a pillow?"

"Wonderful." Merlin replied, before giving Arthur a very loud kiss. Lancelot couldn't help but laugh along with Gwaine and Percival, happy to have some distraction from his dark thoughts. Merlin was happy now, and he wasn't going to ruin that by focusing on every possible thing that could go wrong.

When Merlin and Arthur had finally managed to untangle themselves and join the others around the fire, Percival had finished making the porridge and Gwaine had gotten back from the river with filled water skeins for all of them. Merlin may have been a little closer to Arthur than normal, and he might have sent more nervous glances back towards Arthur than usual, but otherwise there was no sign of Arthur's injury and Merlin's anger. It seemed Merlin and Arthur were doing their best to forget the incident, and Lancelot was happy to join them. Percival seemed a little concerned, but he said nothing which Lancelot thought was probably for the best. Gwaine seemed his usual crazy self, and was doing a good job distracting them from the incident as he told a story about one of his many adventures in a far away land, most of which Lancelot was convinced were false, or at least some alcohol induced fantasy. But it was a good distraction, and filled the awkward silence that could have settled over the camp as they tried to skirt around the subject of the assassin.

Unfortunately, they couldn't avoid the subject forever as Gwaine finished his story and Arthur pointed to the large pile of coins they had taken from the mercenary and asked, "When did we get that lot? Did you guys manage to break into the castle without me? And if you did, how long was I out? I was under the impression it was only a few hours."

Lancelot met Gwaine's gaze and gulped before turning to see what Merlin's reaction was. The warlock looked incredibly tense and angry, his gaze fixed on the money while the rest of the group watched him in silence. Percival seemed to be trying to catch his eye, but Merlin was lost, his eyes beginning to turn gold before Arthur's hand was on his shoulder, and he relaxed, turning back towards the prince. He closed his eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "We took it from the man who- the man from the forest yesterday. Apparently the king hired him to take me out, and spent quite a bit of the tax-payers money on him. Figured we might as well take it back to the people who actually deserve it. Uther obviously wanted us to have it, he practically sent it to us." Merlin finished with a pathetic laugh, as Arthur pulled him into a hug. Lancelot sighed in relief as Merlin straightened up with a smile, the anger that had been in his eyes completely gone.

"We should probably take it into the city today," Percival said, still watching Merlin with concern, "the men Uther's hired as tax collectors are getting more and more violent, we can't let them have a reason to abuse their power."

"Percival's right." Arthur replied, his hand still on Merlin's shoulder. "We should go soon too, while the market is most busy. None of the guards will notice a few extra peasants in the crowds."

Lancelot nodded, Arthur did know the guards better than the rest of them, and this would be a good way to get all their minds off the incident yesterday. Merlin seemed a little more hesitant, but he agreed as soon as Arthur promised he wouldn't leave his side.

It didn't take long after that before they were ready to deliver their goods. They had to be much more careful about their appearances now that their identities were a little less secret, but Merlin had gotten quite good at magically growing different facial hair and slightly altering appearances with other quick and painless spells. With those spells and their usually cloaks, they were completely unrecognizable to any who didn't know exactly what to be looking for. Of course, security was getting tighter as well, and with pictures of their faces posted on practically every corner things were getting risky. If it wasn't for Merlin's magic and Arthur's impeccable knowledge of the citadel, they would all have been caught months ago. But, somehow, they had managed to remain one step ahead of Uther and his men.

So, as they made their way toward the citadel, Lancelot felt he had little cause to worry. As long as they were careful, and none of them did anything stupid, the drop should go smoothly, just like every other delivery they had made since Merlin's recovery.

They waited at the edge of the forest for quite a while before a big enough party to disguise their presence made its way towards the city's entrance. Luckily for them, a group of merchants must have gotten a late start and they were able to easily disguise themselves among the large carts and bustle of crowds. Lancelot held his breath, just like always, as they passed through the gates, but, just like always, the guards didn't even give them a second glance and they were soon safe among the multitudes of people gathered for market day. Lancelot followed Percival's bulking form as he made his way over to a slightly secluded corner where Merlin, Arthur, and Gwaine were waiting for them.

"Can you believe this?" Merlin whispered, pointing to one of the wanted posters. It had quite a good likeness of Merlin, if it hadn't been for the fact he was now sporting a very bushy orange beard to go with his wavy ginger locks, above the usual, 'Emrys: wanted dead or alive.' Lancelot's poster was below it, along with Percy's and Gwaine's, all sporting frowns that really looked out of place on their faces. "One thousand gold pieces for my head? Maybe one of you should turn me in; we could use that gold to feed the people."

"Don't you even suggest that." Arthur said, as Percival glared at Merlin's attempted joke.

"Oh, lighten up guys." Merlin replied with a roll of his eyes. "You know I was just kidding. I rather like my head where it is, thank you very much."

"And shouldn't we focus on the real travesty here?" Gwaine said, "I'm only worth two-hundred and fifty gold pieces! How is that fair? And they just can't get my noise right."

"At least they got your lushes locks right." Lancelot teased, runny his hand through Gwaine's hair which was currently much darker and almost completely straight, making him almost unrecognizable from the poster. Well, that, and he did now have the bushiest mustache Lancelot had ever seen. Merlin really was getting good with the facial hair spells.

"Hmm, and Percival's worth five-hundred." Arthur added. "Seems my father does have some sense after all."

Lancelot laughed along with Merlin as Gwaine jumped Arthur, trying to get a hold of the prince's now long, brown hair. Percival didn't seem quite as amused as he grabbed Gwaine and pulled him away from Arthur saying, "Could we maybe save the childish games for when we get out of the city? The guards are watching us."

Lancelot slowly turned his head, trying to look inconspicuous as he risked a glance at the two men wearing the Pendragon crest who were indeed watching them. Gwaine settled down quickly as Arthur moved towards Merlin, his hand straying to the blade at his belt as it always did when he felt threatened. Merlin's face grew serious as he nodded and said, "Percy's right. We have a job to do. Gwaine, Percival, you two take the west side of town, and make sure you visit Sara and her children, her house was in need of repairs last time I saw her, and winter is coming. Lancelot, you take the houses near the castle, and be careful. The guards will be heavy there, but there aren't too many people to visit. Arthur and I will take the east. Some of the children there have fallen ill and I need to see if I can help. We will meet back in the woods by the old oak at mid-day."

As Merlin spoke he divided out the gold, using his magic to slip it into their pockets without moving his hands or attracting the attention of the guards. As soon as the gold was all divided, Merlin smiled at them, whispering one last, "Be careful." Before he and Arthur walked off towards the east where Merlin would heal the sick and Arthur would make sure he was safe. Gwaine smiled at them before thumping Percival on the back, grinning at Lancelot and offering him good luck before they too were gone, leaving only Lancelot in the corner. He waited till he was certain the guards were no longer watching him before heading off towards the castle, keeping as calm and relaxed as he could.

Arthur's plan to come during the market seemed a good one. With so many people milling about, Lancelot was able to blend in easily, even as he approached the houses nearest to the castle. Although there were quite a few guards wandering through the streets, none of them gave him a second glance as he made his first three drops. Everything was going smoothly until he saw her.

She was perfect. She must have been new to the city, because there was no way he could have missed her if they had ever crossed paths before. Not with such luscious ebony curls spilling down her back, not with such perfectly smooth, dark skin that seemed to glow as she walked gracefully through town, stopping to talk with almost everyone. And when she smiled, gods, Lancelot was sure he had never been happier in his life. He couldn't help but wonder if this was what Merlin felt when he looked at Arthur, because it had to be love. Never had he experienced feelings like this before. He couldn't help but follow her through the town, trying to think of some way to learn more about this beautiful girl.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only person who noticed her beauty. A pair of 'guards', most likely some of the thugs Uther had hired to try to protect his gold after banishing half of his force, had taken some interest in her as well. Lancelot had never felt rage like he did when one of them grabbed her arm, forcing her to drop the basket she was holding and face him, the other moving behind her to block her exit. Somewhere, in the very back of his mind, a voice was telling him to get out of there, that she would be alright, that someone else would come to her rescue, but that voice was vastly overpowered by the overarching need to protect this beautiful maiden from harm. Lancelot pushed his way through the crowded streets as quickly as he could, reaching the girl's side just as one of the guards backhanded her roughly.

Lancelot thought he could never have been angrier than he had been when the guardsman first grabbed her. He was wrong. He saw red as her free hand shot up, protectively covering the cheek that had been slapped by the horrid man who was now less than a foot in front of him. Abandoning his common sense and all instincts for self-preservation, Lancelot said, "You will not touch her," drew his fist back and slammed it into the jaw of the man who had dared to harm the beauty. While the first guard was incapacitated, Lancelot moved as fast as he could, pulling the girl free and positioning himself between her and the two guards. The second guard got over the shock of being suddenly attacked by a peasant quickly, but Lancelot was quicker. He ducked below the fist that had been aimed for his face and swept the man's legs, knocking him onto his backside. As he rose, the other guard had taken a fighting position, his sword drawn. Lancelot had a small blade concealed in his boot, but his sword was back in the camp and the blade would do no good against the long sword he was currently being threatened with. He looked around desperately for anything he could use as a makeshift weapon, but there was nothing. He was forced to retreat slightly, dodging the thrusts of the sword until, suddenly, the handle of a broom came flying past him. He grabbed it, looking back in the direction it had come and seeing the maiden smiling back at him. His grin broadened as he saw her happy face and he attacked the guard with renewed vigor, forcing him back into the wall of the house behind them, whapping him on the head and shoulders at every available opportunity. Just as he managed to get the first man down once more, the second was on him again, his sword drawn as well. Lancelot didn't draw this out, taking his first opening and aiming a solid blow right between the guard's legs. The man let out a howl of pain and was soon on the ground next to his compatriot. Lancelot was panting slightly, but completely uninjured, as the two guards scrambled away and he turned back to the maiden.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Lancelot asked, giving a slight bow. The girl blushed, turning away bashfully before saying, "I am no lady, but thank you. You shouldn't have saved me. Which isn't to say I'm not grateful, it's just I don't want you to be in trouble. I'm nothing special."

Lancelot frowned in confusion. Could this beautiful maiden not know the extent of her own perfection? His brain couldn't think of a response, so he ending up mumbling "It was no trouble." while shifting back and forth awkwardly. He wished he could think of something clever, or sweet, or charming to say to her, but he could think of nothing but how much more beautiful she was close up. Her eyes were a deep brown, and sparkled with kindness as she watched him. The blush hadn't faded from her checks as she stared at him in return; making Lancelot wish Merlin had given him a better disguise. Something far more handsome and dashing than the cropped blonde hair and pointed beard. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as a man with skin that matched his maiden's ran to her side shouting "Gwen! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Elyan." Gwen said, batting away the newcomer's hands as he searched her body for wounds. Lancelot felt slightly ashamed at the jealousy he felt as this other man touched the maiden, or Gwen, as he had called her.

"Claire found me, she said you were being attacked by a couple of Uther's men, I came as fast as I could."

"There was no need, brother." Gwen replied, making Lancelot feel a rush of relief. He was only her brother, he still had a chance. "I was saved by, umm, sorry, I never did catch your name."

"Lancelot." Lancelot replied, not thinking at all about how giving his real name could cause problems. Elyan regarded him with curiosity as Gwen smiled.

"I'm Guinevere. Well, most people call me Gwen. And this is my brother, Elyan." Gwen said, offering her hand. Even though he could tell she meant for him to shake it, Lancelot could not help himself as he bent down to lay a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. She was blushing even more as he straightened up and said, "It is my pleasure, Guinevere."

Once again their eyes met, and suddenly the rest of the crowds and noises vanished, it was just them. Elyan must not have been incredibly keen on being ignored as he pushed his way between them. As he did, their eye contact was broken and Lancelot was once again surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the crowded city. He blinked, trying to regain his bearings as Elyan said, "Well, thank you very much, Lancelot, but we really should be going."

Lancelot could only nod mutely as the woman of his dreams slowly walked away. They had only made it a few feet when there was a commotion at the end of the street and Lancelot saw the one of the guards he had attacked leading a troop of about ten men towards him. Gwen must have seen them as well as she paled, but didn't move. Lancelot felt his breath pick up as he looked for a way to escape, but as he looked down the road he saw another group of guards blocking his only exit, lead by the other guard. He met Elyan's eyes for a moment and quickly whispered, "Get to the giant old oak at the southern edge of the forest, tell the men waiting there that Lancelot was caught by Uther, and please, keep her safe." Elyan nodded and grabbed Guinevere's hand as he ran out of the street while Lancelot braced himself, hoping he could at least put up a good fight before he was taken. Gwen had struggled a bit as Elyan pulled her away, and Lancelot couldn't help but smile at that. Of course Guinevere would be a warrior as well, was there no end to his maiden's perfection? Elyan whispered something to her that seemed to calm her down, and she offered Lancelot one last smile before running off down the street with her brother. Lancelot couldn't help but smile back, completely lost in the bouncing of her curls until the guard who had slapped her moved into Lancelot's line of vision, cutting off his view of Gwen. Lancelot gave a low growl as the guard yelled, "This man has been caught disturbing the peace and assaulting some of the king's men. For these crimes he has been sentenced to a month in prison." Lancelot stood his ground, his eyes never leaving the guard's as the man moved so close only he could hear him and said, "I hope you won't mind me and my friends taking care of your little lady while you're rotting in a cell. She is quite beautiful. I bet she is even lovelier when she screams."

Lancelot couldn't restrain himself any more. He knew he was outnumbered. He knew it was useless. But this man had threatened Gwen. And for that, he would suffer. Lancelot launched himself onto the guard, pummeling him with all his might. As he forced the man to the ground he kept hitting him as he shouted, "YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!" each word emphasized with a punch to the face. He was spitting with fury as the other guards pulled him off the man who now had a black eye, a bloody nose, and a split lip. Lancelot couldn't help but grin at his work. His smiled didn't last long as the beaten guard pulled himself off the ground and launched his fist into Lancelot's face. The fist was quickly followed by the other, and as four other guards held Lancelot in place as the man who had threatened Guinevere used him as a punching bag. Lancelot was feeling slightly woozy as the man finally stopped, drawing back to admire his work. Lancelot could feel blood dripping down his face and into the beard that wasn't usually there, as the guard swayed back and forth in his dizzy vision. He couldn't help but wonder how long his disguise would last. If these men found out they had caught one of Emrys' men and not just some peasant, he really was in trouble. He felt slightly guilty as he thought about what Merlin and the others would do when they found out he had been arrested, but he couldn't help but feeling it had been completely worth it. Guinevere was safe, and for that he would pay any price.

"Not so pretty now, are you peasant?" The guard he had beaten said with a sneer, before leading the group of guards holding Lancelot back towards the castle, dragging Lancelot down into the dark dungeon and tossing him into the cell that, just a few months earlier, had held one of his best friends.


	22. Chapter 22: A Flaw in the Plan

**AN: Hey guys! My finals are over! You know what that means? One whole month of FREEDOM!**

**Ok, so I am a bit excited. But now that I have time I plan on writing quite a bit more than I have been. Hopefully I will be able to get a lot done, but we'll see. **

**Um, in other news, still no editing. I'm sorry guys. Hopefully starwater13 is alright :/**

**And, as Bradley James said on twitter yesterday, "63 down, 2 to go." Kind of both really exciting and terribly sad. But, as I have said before, I will still be writing after the series ends. I have two more stories currently in development for once I finish the two I am currently working on. **

**Anyhoo, lots of love to readers and especially to reviewers. I don't own Merlin, as then it might never end as the people reading this fic may have realized, and in honor of this fic now officially being longer than the first Harry Potter book, I may have named this chapter after the last chapter in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I don't think this fic will ever be longer than that book though...**

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Flaw in the Plan

When Merlin and Arthur got to the old oak Gwaine and Percival were already there waiting for them. Merlin wasn't surprised they had finished first, the sickness in the east town had spread and it had taken quite a bit of time and energy before most of the people were smiling at him, looking completely healthy. The happy faces of the children had been completely worth the exhaustion though, and with Arthur at his side getting out of the city had been easy. What Merlin didn't understand was why Lancelot wasn't waiting there for them as well. He had the fewest people to visit, he should have been back first. Most of the people who lived near the castle had enough to not need their help, or at least not as desperately as the people in the lower town did. The only thing that could have waylaid Lancelot was trouble with the guards. Arthur seemed to have read his mind as he leaned into Merlin's shoulder and whispered, "I'm sure Lancelot is fine, Merlin. He's a smart, strong, man. Don't worry so much."

Merlin gave Arthur a weak smile, his eyebrows still rumpled in confusion as he replied, "He should have been the first back, Arthur. If something's happened to him…"

"He will know what to do. And he wouldn't want you worrying so much. Just relax, Merlin. We will figure this out."

Merlin gave Arthur's hand a squeeze in response as they walked up to the oak and Gwaine called out, "You two haven't seen Lancelot have you?"

"No." Arthur shouted out, making Merlin's stomach squirm uneasily, "Not since we split up."

"He must have gotten stuck somewhere." Gwaine said, looking much more worried than he sounded, "He'll probably be here soon."

Merlin could feel Percival's eyes on him as Arthur guided him over to a large stump and sat him down. "You alright, Merlin?" Percival asked, moving over next to him.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired. It's Lancelot I'm worried about."

"What he means," Arthur said, "is that he worked himself to exhaustion fixing every scab and bruise on the children in the east lower town. The sooner Lancelot gets here and we can get back, the better."

As Arthur finished speaking, Merlin heard a rustling noise from the direction of the city. There was too much noise for it to be Lancelot, but whoever it was was definitely coming towards the old oak. Merlin saw Percival give Arthur a significant glance before Arthur pulled Merlin back behind the log, and Percival motioned for Gwaine to hide before disappearing into the trees. It wasn't long before they could hear voices to accompany the rustling.

"I know it's around here somewhere, Gwen." A male voice said. It didn't sound like one of the guards, too kind, but there was no way of being sure. If Lancelot had been caught, it was possible he had told someone of their meeting place, although Merlin knew Lancelot wouldn't break easily. He was much too noble for that.

"We can't waist time wandering in the forest, Elyan." A female voice responded. Arthur had smiled as soon as the woman had started speaking and jumped up, yelling, "Gwen! What are you doing out here?"

"Sire!" the girl, Gwen squeaked as she noticed Arthur. "It's so good to see you!"

"Please, call me Arthur. And you lot can all come out. Gwen and Elyan won't harm us."

Merlin cautiously stood from his position behind the log, smiling as he saw the two intruders. The girl was very pretty, but looked very worried about something. The man looked vaguely related to her, his skin and eyes matching hers. He was also quite handsome, although he was nothing compared to Arthur. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Percival and Gwaine emerge as well, both clutching the blades that they kept concealed on them whenever they went to the city, but Gwaine quickly put them away as he smiled and walked over to the newcomers, saying, "Arthur, you must introduce us to your lovely friends."

"I'm sorry, but there really isn't time for all this." Gwen said, looking even more worried than she had earlier. "We met Lancelot in town today, he saved me from a pair of guards who were harassing me, but they came back and surrounded him. You've got to help him!"

"What!" Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine and Percival shouted in unison.

"Lancelot has been arrested." Elyan said, cutting to the chase. "They didn't seem to realize who he was as he was only sentenced to a month in prison for assaulting the guards. He sent us to meet you before he was caught. We want to help him in any way we can, he did keep Gwen safe."

"We've got to get him out." Merlin stated, moving to run back towards the city. Gwaine seemed to have agreed with him, but Percival and Arthur didn't and had quickly pulled them back to the old oak.

"We can't just rush in blindly." Arthur said, keeping his grip on Merlin as he sat him back on the stump. "We will help him, but all of us getting caught won't do him any good. It will be best if we can do this without drawing any attention to him, so they don't realize who they have locked up in their dungeons."

"Arthur's right," Percival said, letting Gwaine slump against a tree, looking rather defeated. "As long as Uther doesn't know that Lancelot has been caught, he should be safe in the dungeons. You need to rest, if we get back to camp now you can rest and we can go back as soon as it gets dark."

"No!" Merlin shouted, barely keeping control of his magic as his emotions ran wild. "You don't understand! You've never been stuck in that hell-hole Uther calls a dungeon. We need to get Lancelot out now!"

"Merlin." Arthur said, grabbing both of Merlin's shoulders and positioning himself so Merlin had no choice but to look right into his eyes. "Lancelot is brave. He will survive, but only if we do this the smart way. I know how bad it is to be locked up under the castle, and I swear to you we will get him out, but if we rush in swords blazing, Uther will realize who he's got and he'll use Lancelot against us. I know that you're worried about him, but we have to be smart. I'm sure Lancelot knows that we are coming for him, and that knowledge will help him keep up hope as he waits. We'll have him out of there in no time, but we can't act rashly."

"And we'll help as well." Guinevere said with an encouraging smile, kneeling next to Arthur and laying a hand on Merlin's leg. "I'm a maid in the castle, I can let him know that you're coming for him and do whatever I can to make sure he isn't recognized. It's my fault he's in this mess, I want to repay him in whatever way I can."

Merlin smiled at the kind woman who Lancelot had protected. He vaguely remembered seeing her around the city, and he was pretty certain she was the woman Morgana had asked him to watch out for. "Thank you." He whispered. "And you are right. It's just I don't want anyone else to get hurt because I couldn't protect them."

"Don't worry, Merlin." Arthur said, smiling back at him. "We're going to free him before anything bad happens. We just need a plan."

Merlin nodded with determination and sat upright. Now was not the time to be moping. "Guinevere, if you can get down to Lancelot, let him know that we will be down to visit him tonight. Gwaine and I will use the guard uniforms we stole to get down to the dungeons. My magic should be back at full strength by then, and we can get Lancelot out. Then Gwaine and Lance can change, and we can say we're escorting 'a drunken miscreant', or Gwaine in disguise, out of the castle. Hopefully no one will see us, but at least then all of us will be disguised. Arthur and Percival can keep watch in the town and help us get out of the castle through one of Arthur's secret passages. As long as we don't set off any alarms, Uther will never realize he had one of us locked in his dungeons in the first place."

Arthur smiled at him as Gwaine thumped him on the shoulder and said, "Makes sense, Merlin. Then we can make fun of Lancelot for getting himself stuck in the dungeons to impress a girl. Although, I must say he does have excellent taste." Gwaine turned towards Guinevere as he continued, "You are quite beautiful my Lady. If Lancelot's chivalrous-ness hasn't already stolen your heart, I may have to make my own attempt at it."

Merlin rolled his eyes and elbowed Gwaine in the stomach, saying, "Now really isn't the time, Gwaine. And I don't think Lancelot would appreciate you flirting with his damsel in distress."

Guinevere was blushing a bit as Merlin spoke, but she didn't look quite as offended as she could have been by Gwaine's brazen comments. Elyan looked slightly more disturbed as he pulled Guinevere back to his side and said, "We should be heading back to the city anyways."

Guinevere nodded and said, "I should be able to bring Lancelot your message. It is the least I can do. Thank you all so much for your help. And it is nice to finally get to meet the man who stole Arthur's heart."

Merlin smiled at her as she walked away. He couldn't help but think they could have been good friends if things had only been different. And she would make a lovely match for Lancelot. Her eyes seemed to hold the same kindness that Lancelot radiated. Maybe, someday, they would get a chance to be together.

As Merlin watched Guinevere and Elyan walk away, Arthur gently took his arm and said, "We should probably get back to our camp as well. We can finish planning and get the supplies we need before we have to get back to the city."

Merlin nodded and let Arthur guide him back up, still trying not to think about what Lancelot must be going through right now.

* * *

The stench in the cells was really something remarkable. Lancelot usually wasn't bothered by things like this, having spent so much time visiting the people most in need of their help who were not always the cleanest to say the least, but the smell in the dungeons under Camelot was a form of torture all its own. He supposed it probably hadn't been so bad before the new guards and taxes forced so many more people into breaking the 'law'. Overcrowding was definitely getting to be an issue. Some of the cells were like his, with only one person, but others had six or seven people stuffed into them. A few of these groups looked like families, all huddled together for warmth, children clinging to their mother's skirts and babes wailing in the darkness. Lancelot wanted to comfort these poor people, but there was little he could do from his position. He had already given his cloak to the group in the cell next to his along with his brightest smile, but without it he now had no disguise. His fake facial hair had faded after a few hours in the dank cell, leaving him looking a whole lot like the posters strewn throughout Camelot. If any of the other prisoners realized who he was, they might use that information to barter their way out of the cells. The only protection he had was the darkness of the dungeons, his face turned away from everyone else there. He could hide his identity till Merlin and the others came to save him, right?

He tried to keep calm and focus on the fact that his friends would be crafting a plan to get him out of here soon when he heard _her_ voice. In this horrid place it sounded even more beautiful, like an angel coming down to free him from this hell. Once again his common sense fled while his heart leapt into action, spurring him towards the sound of Guinevere informing the guards that she had "food for the prisoners."

All thoughts of hiding himself had vanished as he pressed up against the bars, longing for a chance to get to see her again. He heard the guards grunt in acknowledgement of her mission and her light footsteps before she reached the corner and he saw her face. The glow from the torches illuminated her cheekbones, and her dress caught the light in a way that made her appear to be glowing. The taint of the jail could not reach her, making her an island of beauty in the rotting hole he was stuck in. She caught his eye quickly and smiled before moving towards the first cell and passing out bread and water to the people inside. Lancelot couldn't stop staring as she offered a kind smile and hopeful words to each prisoner along with the food and water she was providing. When she finally reached his cell he reached out his hand, grasping hers when she offered him his bread.

"Elyan and I found your friends, they're going to get you out of here tonight." Guinevere whispered.

"Thank you, Guinevere." Lancelot whispered back, "You've brought me hope."

"It was the least I could do, I mean, you did save me. I should be thanking you."

Lancelot raised his free hand and brushed a stray curl back behind her ear as he said, "It was my privilege to protect such beauty from such terrible men."

Gwen blushed and smiled before pulling away and saying "I must bring the food to the others. I hope to see you again someday, Lancelot."

"We will see each other again, Guinevere. I promise." Lancelot said as he watched Gwen walk away. He continued to watch her as she finished her task, sending quick glances his way between each cell. He couldn't help but smile at the slight blush that would spread across her cheeks each time she caught him gazing at her. The prison felt so much darker when she finished giving out rations and left, depriving the inmates of the one source of light in the gloomy cells. But the joy that her presence brought him didn't fade. She wanted to see him again! As soon as he got out of here he would make sure that they met as often as possible. With a smile on his face, Lancelot sank back to the ground, unaware of the pair of eyes that had been watching him ever since Guinevere's voice had echoed down the stairwell.

* * *

Now, Neil wasn't a bad man. Bad was such a terrible way of putting it, Neil thought. No, he wasn't bad, per se, he was just smart. Yes, smart was a much better way to think about it. Neil was smart enough to know how to get what he wanted, and smart enough to know that sometimes that had to come at the expense of others. And what he really wanted at this moment was a way out of the stinking cell he was stuck in.

Neil was one of the many people currently trapped in Camelot's prison due to an inability to pay taxes. Unfortunately, his plight had been ignored by Emrys and his troop as he had no small children with big, weepy eyes to plead his case for him. So instead of being able to pay the ridiculous sums of money the king was currently demanding of the people with money stolen from that very same king, Neil had been dragged from his home, that probably wouldn't even be his home anymore now that he thought about it, and dumped into a dirty jail cell that was already occupied by three other tax evaders. He didn't deserve to be stuck down here with these dirty men, and as he was smart, it didn't take him long to think of a way out.

One might say that it wasn't his superior intellect but luck that had saved him, but Neil knew this wasn't true. For he was smart enough to keep alert, smart enough to watch each knew prisoner that was brought into this hell-hole, and smart enough to remember just what the wanted poster that hung on the side of his favorite bar said about newest resident of the dungeons. The man had tried to hide, keeping to the shadows, but his stomach must have betrayed him as he jumped out of hiding at the sound of the serving wench who brought their food's voice. As soon as he had moved out of the shadows, Neil had noticed a difference in the man's appearance. His hair had changed length and color, making him the splitting image of one of Emrys' men! The girl seemed quite enamored with him, so Neil kept his mouth shut until he was sure she was gone. He wouldn't lose his ticket out of here because of some love-struck damsel. But Neil had listened to everything they said, and learned that the man whose picture looked identical to the wanted posters' name was Lancelot as well as some other juicy information.

Neil hadn't waited long after the girl, Guinevere if he had heard right, was gone before calling out to the guards. It had taken quite a bit of screaming before one of the men guarding the cell had finally answered his call. Of course this meant Neil now had the attention of almost everyone in the prison, including the man he was about to hand over in exchange for his ticket out of there. He couldn't help but notice how Lancelot had shrunk back into the shadows, as if his sudden cries had released the man from some type of trance.

"Wha's all this racket about?" Once of the guards asked, glaring at Neil as he ceased his screaming.

Neil scrambled up next the bars, trying to get as close to the guard as possible as he whispered, "I have some information I think King Uther would find rather useful."

"Oh really?" The other guard responding, sounding much more intelligent than his compatriot, "And what would be the nature of this information, boy?"

Neil had some trouble keeping himself from glaring at the guard. He was no boy, he was nearly twenty-five! Long past boyhood. But now was not the time to get caught up by such silly trivialities. Neil kept his tone neutral as he said, "I believe I know the location of one of Emrys' men, and would be willing to trade this information in return for my freedom."

"Emrys?" The more intelligent one said with a grin, "Well, I'm sure King Uther will be very pleased to hear about this. Geoffrey, get this man out of his cell, but keep him in irons. We wouldn't want that information to get away from us, would we boy?"

"No sir." Neil replied, grinning back up at the guard who he really wanted to punch in the face. But getting out of here was his priority. He couldn't risk his chance by attacking a guard, no matter how annoying he was. The other men in his cell watched with resentment as he was escorted out of the dungeons and up towards the king. He couldn't see Lancelot when he glanced back at the cell he knew the man was hiding in, but he hoped he understood. Neil wasn't doing this because he was a bad person, he was simply being smart.

* * *

Uther had a headache. He had expected to have Emrys' head by now. He had gambled everything he had on Myror, which was possibly the worst decision of his life. He had been trying to drown the thoughts of the miserable assassin with the kingdom's finest wine when two guards escorting a dirty, bound man entered his dining hall.

"What was so important that you two louts decided you could interrupt my dinner!" Uther shouted. It felt nice to take his anger out on any passing visitors.

"Excuse the interruption, Sire." The taller of the two guards said, "This prisoner informed us he had some information on one of Emrys' men, and we figured you would wish to be the first to know."

Uther's eyebrows rose as the guard finished speaking. Could this dirty prisoner be the key to solving all his problems? He glanced at the man with skepticism as the prisoner spoke.

"Yes! Yes Sire, and I'm willing to tell you in return for my freedom!"

"Very well." Uther replied, watching the prisoner like a hawk watches a scuttling rat, "I shall grant you your freedom for this information, but if it proves false, you shall be killed in the most painful way imaginable."

The man gulped at Uther's threat, but nodded and said, "There's a man down in the dungeons who I believe to be one of the men you are looking for. When he was brought to the cells he looked nothing like the wanted posters, but when the maid who brings down the food came, and I saw him once again, he was the splitting image of one of those drawings. The one with the medium-length hair. And the maid said something about some of his friends coming to get him out tonight. I figured Emrys probably used some magic to change his appearance, but this man, Lancelot's his name, doesn't have the power to keep it up now that their apart, so he's gone back to looking like he should. And those friends the serving girl told him about must be Emrys and his other men. Who else would be stupid enough to try to break someone out of Camelot's prison?"

Uther listened to the man intently. If all he said was true he already had one of Emrys' men in his dungeons. How could his guards be so stupid to overlook that! But if he really did have one of Emrys' own in his cells, then he would hold the key to catching Emrys himself! There was no way that wretched thief would let one of his friends die. This Lancelot could be the bait in a trap that would ensnare Emrys once and for all.

"What is your name?" Uther asked the prisoner, a smile on his face for the first time in days.

"Neil, Sire."

"Well Neil, why don't you tell these two guards exactly where that man is, then you two can fetch him up here. If you're right about this man, you will be set free."

"Thank you, Sire!" Neil said, bowing repeatedly before turning to speak with the guards holding him. Uther then turned back to the guards stationed at his door, and said, "You two, find out who brought the prisoners their food today, and have her brought to me. She obviously has been in contact with someone working against me, and shall be punished as well."

The two pairs of guards bowed and left, leaving Uther alone in the room with Neil and his personal servant, but he felt as if the hall was filled with cheering people. Soon, he would have everything he needed to kill Emrys and free his son from the magic that had ensnared him.


	23. Chapter 23: The Great Escape

**AN: Ok, this is officially the longest chapter I have written for anything ever. Over seven thousand words! **

**So, on that note, I did plan on having this up as a Christmas present. As it took so long to write, I was only a few minutes off. It's still Christmas in Hawaii! **

**Anyhoo, I hope you all like this. It got a bit crazy with all the different escape plans going on and me kind of wanting to be done with this story, but I think it all makes sense, nothing too unbelievable...**

**And to all who have seen the finale of Merlin, I am just as devastated as you, I promise. I'm pretty sure this is the first time a TV show has ever made me cry. Now, I don't watch a lot of TV, but I also don't cry a lot, so take that as you will. I'm not going to spoil anything, but if anyone needs to have a tearful internet chat, I am totally up for this. And reviews really might make me feel better :]**

**And, as always, I don't own Merlin. Now that its over I will never gain that pleasure.**

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Great Escape

It was ages before Arthur and Percival deemed it dark enough for them to go back to the castle. Or, at least, it felt like ages to Merlin. Arthur had tried to get him to rest but that had been impossible. How could he sleep when Lancelot was stuck in Camelot's prison? He had gotten Lancelot involved into this whole thieving thing, he had told Lancelot to bring the gold to the lower town, so it was his fault Lancelot had been caught, and now he needed to fix that.

But he also knew that Arthur and Percival were right, and that they had to do this the smart way if they were going to do it at all. One wrong move and Lancelot could be in much more trouble than he currently was. So, he had spent the ages pacing and going over every detail of their plan again and again until Arthur finally announced that it was time to go.

Gwaine had been abnormally quiet on their journey to the castle, his normal jokes lost in the seriousness of the situation. Both him and Merlin were already dressed in the guard uniforms, and all four of them had their usual magical disguise as well, so there was almost no chance they would be recognized. Arthur took the lead as they approached the citadel, waiting until there was a break in the guards before dashing across the open plains between the city walls and the forest, Merlin, Gwaine, and Percival close behind him. When they reached the wall, Arthur led them to one of his many secret entrances. Gwaine entered first, his movements quick and catlike as he checked to make sure the streets were empty before hurrying the others through.

Merlin felt relieved as Percival climbed through the hole in the wall, joining the rest inside the citadel. The first step of their plan had gone smoothly. Entering and exiting the city was getting to be one of the hardest parts of their operations now that security was so high. Once inside all they had to do was blend in and hopefully no one would notice them. Seeing as Merlin and Gwaine were dressed as city guards, blending in would be almost a non-issue for them. Arthur and Percival would have to keep to the shadows, as they were technically out after the newly instated curfew. Still, it was dark and Camelot had enough twisting alleyways that even Percival with his large stature would be able to keep hidden.

Merlin and Gwaine kept to the middle of the street, trying not to look rushed or worried as they made their way towards the castle. They could just barely hear Arthur and Percival sneaking along behind them as they marched forward. The guards at the castle gates didn't spare them a second glance as they marched through, leaving Arthur and Percival in the city to help them make a quick escape if necessary.

Gwaine gave Merlin a quick smile as they entered the castle. They had made it this far easily, now they just had to find Lancelot and get him out. Arthur had given them very specific instructions on how to find the dungeons so they wouldn't end up spending hours wandering aimlessly through the castle. Luckily, with the large numbers of recently hired guards and knights, this might not have looked too suspicious, but it would still be a large waste of time they could not afford. Gwaine was leading once again, taking a brisk pace so Merlin had to almost jog to keep up with him. They had been getting close to their destination (if Merlin had remembered Arthur's instructions right) when the sound of multiple people approaching caused Gwaine to slow his pace, attempting to look more casual. Unfortunately looking casual was going to be a lot more difficult when they turned the second to last corner and caught sight of the group making the noise.

The two guards on either end of the procession were smirking cruelly as they pulled a bound and slightly terrified-looking Lancelot directly towards Merlin and Gwaine.

Gwaine froze first, his eyes glued on Lancelot. Merlin had nearly ran into him as he hadn't been paying attention as to what was in front of him but gaping at his imprisoned friend. Luckily he managed to stop just before smacking into Gwaine's back and drawing even more attention to themselves. One of the guards holding Lancelot had snorted as he passed them, whispering something that made the other guard laugh and Lancelot go even paler. As Lancelot and his escort began to move further away, Merlin snapped out of his surprised trance and quickly focused on the mental bond he had forged with Lancelot as he thought,

_'It's alright, we're going to get you out. Do whatever is necessary to stay safe until we can_.'

Lancelot's head had snapped up as Merlin thought this, jerking around as if searching for the source of the voice before relaxing again. Merlin hoped the message had at least brought Lancelot some comfort and a good amount of hope.

Gwaine took slightly longer to get over the shock, and his reaction was quite a lot worse. Merlin had barely been able to stop him from yanking out his sword and racing after Lancelot and the pair of guards who held him. Although Merlin was slightly tempted to do the same, he knew that this would alert the entire city of their presence, putting not only them at a greater risk, but also Arthur and Percival. For now they needed to keep calm and figure out what was going on. Once they knew all the facts, they could find Arthur and Percival and figure out what to do with this new chain of events.

* * *

Lancelot realized his mistake as soon as one of the other prisoners started shouting. He had exposed himself when Gwen brought down the food! If he was correct in believing that man had seen who he was, then there was a very good chance his identity was no longer very secret and it wouldn't be long before Uther knew just who he had locked up in his dungeons. What he really needed was to find a way out before the guards came back, but his search was proving fruitless. The small cell he was stuck in was empty except for a scattering of straw and other debris, none of which would do him any good for breaking out. And the door was rather solid, none of his pushing or shoving had made any difference. Maybe if Percival was here... But Percival wasn't here, and even if he was, a wall probably was a bit more than even his incredible strength could handle.

When the footsteps returned Lancelot quickly scurried to the back of the cell, hoping that somehow the guards wouldn't be coming for him, that he was just being paranoid. But, wishful thinking could only do so much as the two guards peered around the dungeon before stopping before his cell.

"You Lancelot?" one of the guards asked, pointing a pudgy finger at him. Lancelot nodded slowly, trying to remember whether or not any of the posters had included his name as the second guard said, "The king would like a word with you." with a terrifying grin as he brought out the keys to his cell.

At the jangle of keys Lancelot he had one last chance to escape on his own. If he could just get past the guards now then he might be able to escape Uther's judgment. He braced himself, ready to run the second the door was open. His charge took the squat guard by surprise, but the grinning one was prepared and quickly had his sword at Lancelot's neck, stopping Lancelot's plan before it had even begun.

"Not so fast." The grinning guard said as the squat one righted himself and returned looking quiet furious. "I don't think King Uther would be very happy if he knew you had refused his hospitality. You should be grateful. If it were up to me we would just be bringing him your head."

Lancelot remained silent as the squat guard locked his hands behind his back. This would be the second time in his life he stood before Uther, only this time he would be in chains, and probably wouldn't make it out with only a small amount of humiliation.

As he thought about what would happen to him on this visit to the king, Lancelot realized that even though he wasn't too proud to admit he was terrified, he couldn't bring himself to regret any of his actions. If given the opportunity to do it all over, he wouldn't change a thing. He had done all he could to help the people, protected a beautiful maiden's virtue, and kept true to himself throughout it all. If this was to be his end, at least he knew he had no regrets. Not that he wanted it to end. He wanted to spend more time with Guinevere, and he wanted to continue fighting. He had always hoped that one day he would live to see Camelot become the kingdom Merlin had always wanted it to be. He was so lost in these thoughts he barely noticed when two guards standing frozen in the hall almost blocked their way. The only thing that alerted him to their presence was when the sneering guard bent down to whisper, "Looks like you've got some admirers, pretty boy. Maybe the king will give them a piece of you when this is all finished."

Lancelot felt the color drain from his face as the squat guard laughed and he was reminded once again of the proximity of his own demise. If Uther really knew who he was, Lancelot was certain his death would not be easy. A simple hanging would not be enough for a follower of Emrys, and there probably would be torture before he even reached his end. Lancelot was beginning to hyperventilate as was quite happy when a ressuring voice echoed in his head.

_It's alright, we're going to get you out. Do whatever is necessary to stay safe until then._

Merlin's voice was gone as suddenly as it had come. Lancelot couldn't help but feel slightly comforted by his words. Merlin was powerful, and he could be just about as protective as Percival when he wanted to be. But Uther would know this as well. And although the king did want _all_ of Emrys' men arrested, it was their leader he was really after. He wished he could somehow get a message back to Merlin, tell him he was already lost, to not risk everything at an attempt to save him, but Lancelot knew that even if he could Merlin probably wouldn't listen.

Thinking of Merlin did make him feel slightly better, and when he was dumped at Uther's feet the color had almost completely returned to his face. He quickly pulled himself up to a kneeling position, but was kept from returning to his feet by the guards who had escorted him. He schooled his features to not show any fear to the king before looking up and meeting Uther's eyes. The tyrant was smirking at him, examining his face with scrutiny. Little had changed in the king since Lancelot had come to petition to be a knight. He had aged some, his hair was thinning and his forehead was more wrinkled, but very little else was different. The king was still a formidable man, it was easy to see how he held onto power even in his cruelty.

"That's him!" another voice called. Lancelot turned to see another man, shackled like him except his hands were bound in front, allowing him a wider range of motion. "That's the one from the wanted posters! He looked different when he came, it must've been magic, Sire, please, please let me go!"

Uther looked at the other man as if he were a particularly nasty stain on the floor. He waved his hand and quickly said, "Yes yes, you may go. Guards, take off his shackles and escort him out."

That must have been the man who had been shouting in the dungeons. Although Lancelot mostly wanted to go give him a good punch, a small part of him felt sorry for the poor man who probably had been imprisoned for something beyond his control. Still, if his freedom cost Lancelot his life, he couldn't help but think that maybe there could have been a better way.

As soon as the man was gone Uther's attention honed back in on Lancelot. His lips curved in a slight grin as he said, "So, _Lancelot_, I believe you might be able to help me."

Lancelot scowled up at Uther and replied, "If you think I'm going to betray Emrys to you, you are even stupider than I imagined. Do what you want with me, as long as he is safe my life will have worth."

Uther scoffed at Lancelot's reply, still looking far too smug for Lancelot's liking. "I don't need you to _tell_ me anything. I'm pretty sure your friends won't leave you in my hands, so all we have to do is wait. As long as I have you here I won't have to find Emrys, for he will come to _me_."

Lancelot felt his stomach drop. Uther was right. Merlin would try to save him, walking right into Uther's trap. Lancelot was only bait, Merlin was the real prize.

Uther's laughed at Lancelot's inability to respond. Lancelot kept his eyes fixed on the floor as Uther marched over to his side, tangling Lancelot's hair in his large hand before yanking his gaze away from the ground as he said, "I do have one question for you, scum. What has Emrys done to my son? Where is Arthur?"

Lancelot couldn't help but smile at Uther's worry over his son. "Mostly they just cuddle, although sometimes we catch them kissing. Gwaine swears that he saw them go further but I don't believe him. Arthur can be quiet the gentleman, which is impressive considering you're his father."

The smug grin had fallen from Uther's face as Lancelot spoke, given him some small form of satisfaction before Uther hurled him back towards the stone floor. "How dare he!" Uther yelled. "How dare he pervert my son!"

Lancelot couldn't help but roll his eyes at this. Uther was so ignorant to his son's own life, it was almost sad. Arthur might have been the only one in their small troop whose father was still alive, but it was clear Uther would never really be a father-figure.

"I don't think he's trying to pervert Arthur. He's just teaching him a new way of seeing this land. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from Emrys as well."

Uther apparently didn't like that answer as his ringed hand smacked across Lancelot's face. Lancelot tried to think of something else to yell at the monarch as he walked away from him. Unfortunately Uther didn't give him enough time as he returned, holding a small rag. Just as Lancelot was about to resume his protest, Uther shoved the rag into his mouth and tying it behind his head, effectively silencing him.

"I said I didn't need you to speak." Uther said with a smirk. "Soon Emrys will be dead and Arthur will be free."

Lancelot could only glare as Uther spoke. The entire hall went silent for a while before the large doors opened behind Lancelot. He couldn't see who came in until they were brought in-between him and Uther, and he felt his heart sink. Whoever had told Uther that he was in the dungeons must have also informed the king about his talk with Guinevere. He should have realized that he was putting her in danger when he associated with her, but now it was too late as she and her brother were hauled before the king by a group of guards. Lancelot tried to get to her, but his two guards were quickly on him, keeping him back in his kneeling position as one of the guards in the new group stepped forward to talk to the king.

"Sire, we believe this is the girl who spoke with the prisoner. Her brother attacked us when we tried to arrest her so we figured we should bring him in as well."

Lancelot could only glare at the guards as they pushed Gwen and Elyan to their knees. Gwen looked angrily up at the king while her brother looked slightly dazed, a large bump on the side of his head probably the cause of that. Uther ignored Lancelot's attempts at speech as he turned his attention to his new prisoners, slowly walking back and forth in front of the siblings. He eventually stopped in front of Guinevere and said, "You were Morgana's maid, weren't you?"

Gwen glared back at him and nodded silently, glancing nervously at her brother and Lancelot from time to time.

"So you've been working with Emrys the entire time! You traitorous bitch, I'll see you hanged for this!"

Both Lancelot and Elyan tried to throw off their guards and get to Guinevere as Uther lunged forward, his large hand closing around her delicate neck. Lancelot eventually did manage to pull free of his guards, darting over to where Gwen was gasping in Uther's clutches. As his hands were still bound behind him, there wasn't much he could do besides ram straight into the distracted king, throwing his whole bodyweight into pushing Uther away from Gwen. Uther must not have expected this, as he dropped Gwen, allowing Lancelot to stand between them, huffing furiously as the guards tried to pull him away from the new prisoners. Gwen had collapsed behind him, one hand at her throat, the other clutching Lancelot's thigh as he glared at the guards who had attempted to pull him away. Elyan managed to break free as well, taking a defensive position on the other side of the gasping Guinevere, still looking slightly disoriented as the guards circled around them. When Uther's shouts brought even more guards from the halls it was clear they weren't going to be able to hold their position for long. Still, Lancelot wouldn't give up Gwen without a fight, as he growled around his gag and lunged at any guard that came to close.

It was inevitable that they were separated eventually, four guards keeping Lancelot pushed to the ground, and another six working to subdue the two siblings. Uther glared at Lancelot as he squirmed beneath his guards. Although he wasn't able to get free, the commotion had loosened the tie of his gag, which he had managed to spit out of his mouth. Finally able to speak again he shouted, "LET HER GO! She has nothing to do with this!"

Uther seemed intrigued by Lancelot's sudden show of anger at Gwen's situation, as he moved back towards Lancelot and said, "She was seen telling you about plans to escape. It is obvious she has been in contact with Emrys, and you clearly have some connection with her. She will die for working with criminals, but you won't be around to see it. Take them to the dungeons!"

The guards restraining Gwen and Elyan nodded and hauled the pair of struggling siblings to their feet, pulling them out of the large room and down towards the dungeons. Lancelot gave another shove against his guards as they left, shouting of their innocence until Uther could once again fix the gag in his mouth, leaving him silent and hating himself for putting Gwen in even greater danger.

* * *

Merlin had pulled Gwaine into an empty hallway as soon as he managed to calm him down slightly. Although Merlin agreed that they needed to follow the men who had Lancelot, he also knew they needed to do it subtly. If Uther knew who Lancelot was, which looked pretty likely, he would be expecting them to come looking for him. If they could find out what Uther's plan was first, then maybe they could be one step ahead of the king in their attempt to get Lancelot back.

"Why did you stop me!" Gwaine growled as Merlin held him back while peering after the two men who were holding Lancelot.

"Gwaine, we are going to free him, I swear. But we have to be careful. Arthur and Percival don't know what's going on, they won't be prepared for the increase of security when it happens. The circumstances have changed, so we'll have to change our plan to fit them."

"You stopped me because of Arthur right? You're just worried Uther will take him away from you, while Lancelot will probably lose his head if we don't get him out of here now. Not everything is about you and Arthur."

Merlin felt terrible. Could Gwaine really think that all he cared about was Arthur? He knew he was more protective of Arthur than the others, but that didn't stop him caring about them. He took a deep breath and lead Gwaine out of the deserted hallway saying, "Please don't think that, Gwaine. I am worried, and not just about Arthur. It's my fault that Lancelot is in trouble, and we will get him out of it, in one piece. I don't know what Uther will do when he gets his hands on Lancelot, but I am certain he won't kill him right away. He wants me, and he's going to use Lancelot to try to get me. If we know what he's planning, then we can free Lancelot without all getting caught along with him. I'm sorry if I seem cold-hearted, I'm just trying to do this in the safest way possible."

Gwaine was silent as he followed Merlin, moving quickly down the dark passages after Lancelot and his escort. They finally stopped, entering a room with two large, wooden doors. They weren't going to be able to sneak in there, not without an extreme risk of getting caught. What they really needed now was Arthur. Merlin was almost nervous to say that after Gwaine's outburst, but Arthur would know his way around the castle much better than any of them, and would probably have a better idea of what Uther was planning.

"We need Arthur." Merlin whispered. "We need to find another way into this room, and if anyone knows that it would be Arthur."

Gwaine nodded and guided Merlin back towards an empty hallway. Once they were a good distance from the room where Lancelot was Gwaine said, "You're right, Merlin. About everything. And I shouldn't have been angry at you. When this is over I'm going to need the biggest tankard of mead in the kingdom."

"As long as you wait till this is over, I might join you on this quest." Merlin replied with a smile. "Now you stay here, watch the door. I'll be back with Arthur and Percival as soon as possible."

Gwaine nodded, turning his eyes back towards the door as Merlin ran quickly down to where he new Arthur would be waiting. Luckily as long as he was wearing the guard uniform no one questioned him. He made it back to where Arthur and Percival was waiting quickly, and told them of all they had seen as fast as he could. Getting back to Gwaine had been much more difficult. Merlin could check to make certain there was no one there, but if anyone saw Arthur and Percival they would alert the entire castle to their presence. There had been a very close call with a pair of guards who had asked Merlin if he would like to join them at the tavern, but they seemed distracted enough by the prospect of getting ale soon that they didn't pay much attention to the young guard who didn't seem to want any alcohol, or the two men hiding in an alcove behind him. Gwaine looked quite frantic when they finally made it back to him.

"Gwen and Elyan were arrested as well. I don't know exactly what's going on, but it can't be good." Gwaine whispered quickly.

"My father arrested Guinevere?" Arthur asked, looking completely bewildered, "How could he know that she was involved?"

I don't know," Gwaine replied, "but her and her brother were definitely pulled in there by a group of guards only a moment ago."

"We need to figure out what's going on." Merlin said, looking back to Arthur. "What room is that and is there some other way to get in? I think someone will notice if we try to get in through those doors."

Just as Merlin finished speaking they heard yelling from the room where Lancelot, Gwen, Elyan, Uther, and a good number of guards were currently situated. The yelling was quickly followed by a call for guards, which Gwaine had almost responded to before Arthur had held him back saying, "If you act as a guard now, you're going to have to follow Uther's orders no matter what he says. We need to stay here, we can't let the king order us all over the kingdom."

Gwaine nodded, still watching the door with intensity but relaxing slightly in Arthur's grip. Arthur was about to speak again when the door opened, and Gwen and Elyan were escorted back down the hall. Gwen looked startled and scared but she was holding her head high even as she was towed away. Elyan looked more worried than she was, and his concern seemed to be directed towards his sister. When no one else followed Percival said, "Where do you think they're taking them?"

"Probably the dungeons." Arthur replied, watching the group's progress. "There's not a whole lot else in that direction. We can get them out after we figure out what's going on with Lancelot. They won't be under as severe guard as he is."

"What do you think he's doing to Lancelot?" Gwaine whispered, sounding like he wasn't even certain he wanted to know the answer.

"I'm not sure." Arthur replied, "He could do the same thing he did with Merlin, and torture him for information, but the fact that he's holding him in the council chambers makes me think he isn't. Uther would take him back down to the dungeons if he was going to do that, I think. If I know my father, he won't really care about you lot, he'll only be interested in getting Merlin. If he thinks he can use Lancelot to get Emrys, that's what he's going to do. He'll keep him well-guarded but probably unharmed in hopes that we will try to rescue him."

"So he's waiting for us." Percival said, looking over at Arthur.

"Probably. He probably doesn't expect us to already be here, which means getting out might be a problem, but hopefully getting Lancelot won't be too bad. For now we should focus on the first step."

Just as Arthur finished speaking, another guard ran out of the large room. He must have heard something, as he turned towards Merlin and his troop, changing direction quickly. Merlin froze. If that guard continued down the hall there was no way he wouldn't notice them, and if they moved now they would be an open target. Luckily, Arthur was thinking quickly and he pushed Merlin and Gwaine forward, pulling Percival back behind a pillar and into the shadows.

"What are you two doing here?" the guard asked, only seeing at Merlin and Gwaine, who looked like a confused pair of guards and nothing else.

"We were just headed down to the tavern." Merlin said, hoping the excuse of the other guards would be believable.

"Unlucky, mates." The guard said, "You won't make it to the tavern tonight. Uther wants all the knights and guards to gather in the council chambers. We've got one of Emrys' men, the king's hoping to smoke the thief out."

"We're on our way." Merlin replied, trying his best to keep calm. Gwaine grunted in agreement, which must have satisfied the real guard, as he took off down the hall to go inform the rest of the castle, all of which would soon be watching for them.

"We have to get him out of there now." Arthur said, stepping out of the shadows with Percival. "Soon, he'll be surrounded by knights and we won't be able to get near him."

"Arthur's right." Merlin said, "We need to take them out while they are weakest, before they have time to prepare. Is there any other way into this room?"

"There's a servant's entrance around the back, but besides that no."

Merlin nodded, trying to think of the best way out of this. It didn't help that he knew if he waited too long this would all be over, Lancelot would be practically irretrievable.

"We do have two guard uniforms," Percival said, "Two of us could pretend to be guards and try to get Lancelot out."

"Uther isn't going to allow Lancelot out of this room, no matter what we're dressed as." Arthur said, looking annoyed, "It would be much more difficult to get him out from here, seeing as we are practically in the center of the castle. I think I have a plan, but it will be risky. If Percival takes Merlin's uniform, he and Gwaine bring me in, and tell Uther they caught me. That will keep Uther's interest, he probably wants me back more than anyone besides Merlin, and he'd kill Merlin as soon as he saw him. As long as he's distracted with me, Merlin can sneak in the back way and get Lancelot out."

"But then you'll be caught." Merlin said, not at all happy about this plan. "And like you said, Uther wants you more than Lancelot, he wouldn't dare let you go."

"I won't really be caught," Arthur said, placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder in a failed attempt to get him to calm down. "Percival and Gwaine will have me. They'll keep me safe."

Merlin looked back at Arthur. He still didn't like this plan, but it was probably their best option. And after what Gwaine said, Merlin couldn't help but wonder if he maybe was being a little over-protective.

"Fine." Merlin said with a sigh. "Just don't do anything stupid, alright?"

"Merlin, I am incapable of stupidity, didn't you know that?" Arthur said with a grin. Merlin rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress the grin that spread across his face at Arthur's words. He quickly pulled off the guard uniform, passing it over to Percival. Seeing as he had been wearing the smaller of the two uniforms, it was a very tight fit, but hopefully Uther would accept it. Arthur was giving him directions as quickly as possible as Percival changed, letting him know exactly how to get to the passage way that would lead him into the back of the council chambers. Merlin memorized every word, if he got lost the entire plan would be ruined and he would have handed Uther all of his men on a silver platter. When Arthur had finished explaining and Percival was changed, Arthur pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly and whispering, "Be careful, Merlin. It's you Uther's trying to kill."

Merlin pulled back, looking at Arthur sadly as his facial-hair disguise vanished and he looked like himself once again and nodded, giving one brief smile before he darted off in the direction Arthur had instructed.

* * *

Arthur was more nervous than he would like to admit about seeing his father. He had tried to act cocky so Merlin wouldn't be worried, but he knew Uther better than the rest of them. Although he probably wouldn't kill Arthur, his punishment for this betrayal would be severe. Confinement to the castle would seem like a slap on the wrist compared to what he could now be facing.

Still, this was the only plan they had, and it wasn't a bad one. They would need quite the distraction to take Uther's attention off of Lancelot, and this might just be enough to do it. Then Merlin could use his magic to get Lancelot out, while he, Gwaine, and Percival could probably take out a few guards with their skills alone. As long as they moved quickly and Uther didn't, everything should work fine. They had waited a short period, giving Merlin some time to reach the hidden passage way before Gwaine and Percival each grabbed one of Arthur's arms and they moved out of the shadows. He could feel Gwaine shaking slightly, which didn't help with the nervousness that Arthur was feeling. It had surprised him to see how emotional Gwaine had gotten over this Lancelot incident. He knew that they were close friends, but he had never seen Gwaine this worried about anything. He supposed he had probably acted rashly when Merlin had been caught as well, but it was strange to have Gwaine so quiet and different from his usual jubilant self. They paused for a moment at the large doors to the council chambers, Arthur taking one last deep breath and schooling his expression before Percival reached forward and opened the doors.

Uther hadn't even looked up when they entered, keeping his eyes glued on Lancelot. Lancelot had though, his expression turning from one of anger and fear to pure shock. He was positioned in the middle of the room, kneeling with Uther keeping a firm grasp on his hair. He was bound and gagged, but looked unharmed otherwise. There were about five other guards in the chambers, all of which were currently staring at the new additions to the chamber as Percival slowly cleared his throat and said, "Sire, we've found the crown prince."

Arthur couldn't help but shiver as his father turned to look at him. He glared back, hoping that they wouldn't seem too suspicious and that their plan really would get Uther away from Lancelot. The entire hall was silent for a moment as the two Pendragons stared at each other, both unmoving, until Uther dropped Lancelot and marched towards Arthur.

"My son!" Uther cried, placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I knew we would be united soon. Together, we will ride this land of the scum that is Emrys."

"Uther," Arthur said, calling his father by his first name alone for the first time in his life,  
"when will you understand that I will not help you destroy Merlin! He is the only thing holding this land together, and I will not call you my king until you accept that!"

Arthur's answer angered Uther more than he had hoped. He had wanted to draw all attention away from Lancelot and onto himself, but he hadn't expected the punch Uther threw to his gut. It did draw all eyes away from Lancelot though, allowing Merlin to enter through the small door in the back and crouch down beside their bound friend. Arthur tried not to stare at him as Uther yelled, "You will respect me, Arthur! I don't care what that thief did to you, I am your father and your king, and you will learn to honor that!"

Arthur glared at Uther with all the hatred he could muster as he replied, "You are not my father, Uther Pendragon. Not anymore."

Uther looked furious as he glared back at Arthur, saying "Take him to the cells at the back of the dungeons, away from all the other prisoners. Lock him up, and stay outside his cells. No doubt Emrys will come looking for him as well."

Gwaine and Percival both nodded and said "Yes, Sire." as they pulled Arthur out of the room. He had to remind himself that this had all been a ploy, that as soon as they were out of the council chambers Gwaine and Percival would release him allowing him to go back and find Merlin. He had managed to sneak a glance back at Merlin when Uther had finally taking his attention off of him, glad to see that Lancelot had been freed and they were quietly making their way back towards the door. It seemed his plan had worked, now they only needed to work out how to get out without being caught.

They had just made it out the doors when they heard Uther begin to shout. Knowing that meant he had realized Lancelot was gone, and probably was at least slightly suspicious of Arthur being caught at precisely the right time, Arthur, Gwaine, and Percival began sprinting down the hall, Arthur leading them towards where the passageway Merlin took let out. They were about half way there when they ran into both Merlin and Lancelot, both of whom looked quite nervous. Merlin threw his arms around Arthur, interrogating him to be sure he was fine while Gwaine embraced Lancelot and began joking once more. Lancelot looked fine, except he was still much too nervous, as he interrupted Gwaine's joke saying "Guinevere's been arrested. He's going to have her killed for helping us."

"We'll just have to get to her first then, won't we?" Gwaine said with a smile, patting Lancelot on the back. Arthur quickly nodded in agreement to what Gwaine had said, even though a small part of him wanted to cry. This night was just getting better and better. He took a deep breath and said, "There's a passage way from the dungeon to the lower town. We can use that to escape the castle, but there will be guards everywhere. This isn't going to be easy."

Merlin took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before saying, "Maybe not, but we can do this, Arthur. After all, we've made it this far."

Arthur squeezed back, glad to have Merlin optimistic again as they raced off down to the dungeons.

The journey down had proven quiet treacherous. It was only due to Merlin's magic that they made it at all, although the trail of unconscious knights and guards would probably begin to draw attention soon. Luckily it did not seem Uther expected them to go after Gwen and Elyan, as most of the guards seemed to be heading towards the more commonly used exits of the castle. When they reached the dungeon, Merlin's eyes flashed gold once more as his powers sent the prison guards into a deep sleep, allowing their troop into the dungeons below.

Arthur had almost been blown away by the smell. Never in his life had the cells been this full. They would house the stray sorcerer from time to time, but most of the prisoners didn't stay down here long, and he was almost certain there had never been anything near these numbers before. As he glanced towards Merlin he wasn't surprised to see his expression twisted from the normal happy smile to something much darker and completely furious. Lancelot had gone off in search of Gwen as Merlin's eyes glowed, and every cell door burst open.

The prisoners began to stream forward, all of them circling around Merlin, trying their best to all thank him at once. Merlin still looked furious, but he tried to smile at the people as the responded enthusiastically to his help. It took a moment for Arthur to find Gwen in the crowd; of course Lancelot had found her first and was hugging her close as the rest of the prisoners almost crushed him and Merlin together. It was Percival who finally got control of the situation, shouting "QUIET!" as loudly as he could. Arthur sighed in relief as the masses backed away from him and Merlin, allowing Merlin to speak.

"We need to get out of here," Merlin began, sounding like he did when he spoke to the druids, "and to do that I'm going to need every one of you to do exactly as me and my men tell you. Once we are free from the castle I need each of you to get to your homes and lay low. In the morning try to get out of the city, find somewhere safe. We will do our best to see you all to safety, but for now we need to focus on getting out of the castle."

With that Merlin turned back to Arthur, giving him a weary smile as he said, "So, Arthur, where is this way out you mentioned?"

Arthur smiled back, trying to hide his worry and fear as he quickly took the lead, guiding the large group through the winding passage that lead out of the castle. He had run the entire way, glancing back from time to time to make sure there were no stragglers as they made their way towards the exit. They had been so close, Arthur could almost taste the fresh air, when he heard Gwaine call from the back, letting them know they were being followed. Arthur quickened his pace, turning the last corner before the door to the outside. Merlin moved to the front as he saw the door, blasting it aside quickly with his powers to allow them passage. Arthur had been slightly worried when he learned they were being followed that someone would have been smart enough to guard the other side, but luckily no one was there, leaving their passage into the lower town free from troubles. The prisoners seemed to be following Merlin's earlier orders, as the dashed past him and Merlin into the darkness, until only the members of their gang and Gwen and Elyan remained, although he could hear the sound of Uther's men quickly approaching. Merlin must have heard this too as he hurried them out then pointed his hand back towards the door. He frowned as he focused on the splinters of wood, small beads of sweat forming on his forehead as his eyes glowed gold and the splinters began to knit themselves back together, forming not a door but a solid wooden wall. Once this was complete and they could hear the sound of pounding fists on the other side, they took off into the city.

The streets had been swarming with activity as well. Luckily out here there were people willing to help them escape, allowing them time to regain their energy in their homes before stepping back into the darkness and hurrying off towards the same hole Arthur had used to help Merlin get out after he had been shot. The sky was beginning to brighten as the finally made it to the break in the wall, and Arthur was almost dizzy with relief. He knew they hadn't made it out yet, but they were so close. It would only be one quick dash across the still dark planes before they were in the safety of the forest. Merlin had been lagging for a while now, obviously exhausted from the overwhelming amount of magic he had been using throughout the day, but he wouldn't have to make it far now. Gwaine had been the first through the small hole, quickly giving them the all clear before Lancelot pulled back the bushes to allow Gwen and Elyan through. Merlin was next at both Arthur and Percival's urgings, followed by Lancelot, Percival, and finally Arthur. They didn't stay by the wall long, just until the torches that had been moving back and forth along the wall vanished around corners.

Arthur was almost certain he had never run this quickly before in his entire life. He knew that once they made the forest they would be practically impossible to find, but the exposed area between the castle and the woods could spell their doom. It was still dark enough that it would be difficult for a guard to spot them, but a sharp eyed man would be able to discern movement among the darkness they were hiding in. He heard no shouts though, no indications that they had been spotted, and as they finally made the cover of the woods he allowed himself to slow and take a deep, calming breath. The ordeal was over, they were all free.


	24. Chapter 24: Father and Son

**AN: Happy New Year everybody!**

**So, I've mostly recovered from the finale, I finally worked up the courage to watch it again today which was both really difficult and slightly helpful for my closure game. I also wrote a one-shot post 5.13 story for anyone who feels the need for some reunion stuff. Trying to not spoil anything, hopefully I haven't failed completely...**

**Anyhoo, the idea for this bit was from the wonderful PhantomTrancyVongola. Well, sort of. So, if you don't like it, blame them :) Just kidding, but I do want to thank them for some much needed support and inspiration!**

**And I still don't own Merlin. If I did, there would so be a movie to follow up that finally, and I would definitely kidnap the actors until it was finished. I'm not creepy at all... ;) **

Chapter Twenty-Four: Father and Son

Even though it was dark and there was almost no chance of the guards finding them in the woods, Arthur was still nervous until they reached the safety of their camp. Merlin had obviously exhausted himself in their escape, making Arthur's protective side rear its head like a mother bear protecting a young cub. He kept a hand on Merlin the entire journey back, stopping his stumbles and finally guiding him back to their corner of the camp where their bedrolls were still set up. Merlin collapsed the second he reached the bed, allowing Arthur pull the blanket around him while Lancelot, Percival, and Gwaine helped get Gwen and Elyan settled.

Elyan had made it quite clear from the moment they reached the forest that he would be joining their troop. Gwen had wanted to help as well, but both Lancelot and Elyan had been fairly adamant that she remain out of the city and away from harm. She had begrudgingly agreed, on the condition she was at least allowed to stay with them at their camp and help in whatever other ways she could. Although Merlin had not participated much in the conversation, Arthur could tell that he was happy about the expansion of their little troop. He looked incredibly peaceful curled up under the small blanket, something that seemed so uncommon in their busy life. Arthur murmured "Goodnight." to their newly expanded gang before curling up beside Merlin, ready for some well deserved rest. He was just drifting off to sleep when Merlin whispered, "What did you mean?"

"What?" Arthur asked, looking over at Merlin, almost thinking he must have dreamed the words as Merlin looked sound asleep, his eyes still closed. Apparently he wasn't asleep quite yet as his eyes opened and he looked back at Arthur, saying, "When you said you knew what it was like to be locked up underneath Camelot. Why would you know that?"

Arthur had almost forgotten saying that. Of course Merlin wouldn't know about Uther using imprisonment as a punishment for Arthur, but it wasn't something he really enjoyed talking about. Still, Merlin had never kept secrets from him, there was no reason he shouldn't tell Merlin about his past. He took a deep breath and said, "When I had disagreements with my father when I was younger I would often end up in a cell for a couple of days. I think Uther thought it would force me to agree with what he thought, and for a while it worked. I was only a child, the darkness terrified me. I used to have nightmares of being stuck down there, alone in the dark. So I know what it's locked up in the cells, Merlin. And I know how terrible it can be."

Merlin's eyes were fixed on Arthur when he looked back at him. He still looked tired, but his weary gaze was completely focused on Arthur. He took Arthur's hand as he replied, saying "I'm so sorry Arthur. I never thought Uther would have done something like that to his own son. I wish I could have been there to help."

Arthur smiled at Merlin's desire to save him from his childhood traumas. "Merlin, you can't feel bad for not protecting me from every tiny childhood trauma. If you had I wouldn't have ever learned to protect myself. I would have been some terrible, spoiled brat."

"Are you trying to say you aren't a spoiled brat?" Merlin asked with a smile, his eyes closed once again.

"And yet you still love me." Arthur replied jokingly.

"One of my many talents." Merlin said with a smile.

"Go to sleep, Merlin." Arthur said, ruffling Merlin's hair and earning one more disapproving stare before Merlin turned and snuggled back into him. Arthur smiled fondly at the back of Merlin's head and was about to close his eyes as well when he heard Merlin whisper, "I might not have been able to protect you then, Arthur, but I will now. I promise."

Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin's slim waist and nuzzled the back of Merlin's neck as he whispered back, "I know Merlin. And I will do the same for you. I love you."

"I love you too, Arthur." Merlin whispered back, squeezing Arthur's hand. "Never forget that."

* * *

There was angry. There was furious. And then there was what Uther was feeling right now. Emrys had crept under the noses of him and all his men and taken not only his own man back, but he had freed every single prisoner in his dungeons. Uther was tired of the humiliation, tired of the failure, tired of losing. And Arthur was the symbol of all he had lost. Arthur was his son, his heir, and Emrys had taken him. Uther wanted him back.

He knew he hadn't always been the best father, but he loved his son and knowing that he had been stolen from him was more painful than any hit to his pride. Seeing Arthur again had made him miss him even more. Sorcery had twisted his perfect son, taking away the one last piece of Ygraine Uther had.

Emrys had used Arthur against him. He had found Uther's greatest weakness. He couldn't kill Arthur like he could the rest of Emrys' followers, but he also couldn't let his son continue to defy him with his every action. He needed to get Arthur back, safe away from the powers that had taken his mother and twisted his heart. He would free Arthur, no matter what it took.

* * *

Leon thought he would never see the king angrier than on the day that Arthur walked away from the castle after Merlin, Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine. He had been wrong. When all the knights had been called into the throne room for the second time that night, Leon was almost expecting steam to pour out of Uther's ears as he blamed almost everyone but himself for the escape that had happened earlier that night. That of course hadn't been all he wanted to say, the king had ordered all of them out into the woods, searching for any signs of the thief and his friends. Uther had been more focused on Arthur than usual, but otherwise the speech was something Leon had heard many times before. 'You all have failed me for the last time, get out into the cold, wet, dark forest and bring me Emry's head, blah blah blah.'

Leon sighed as he joined the throngs of me leaving the city to search the pitch-black forest for someone who had been spending ages not getting caught. At least it wasn't raining this time. Leon knew he probably should have been more worried for Arthur and his friends, especially now that so many of the knights who had been loyal to Arthur were gone, replaced by men who either worshiped Uther or the gold he had promised them.

Still, the thought of the idiots Uther had hired finding any hint of the thief or his friends seemed a ludicrous idea. So, when one of the men called out that they had found a trail, Leon had been certain it wasn't actually the trail they were looking for. It had to be an animal, right? Leon tried to reassure himself as he followed the men down into the forest, but with each step he took he felt his stomach drop even more. The men were too excited to be deterred as they raced further and further into the woods, before coming to an abrupt halt. Leon had to push his way up to the front line, using his higher rank to finally learn why they had stopped. It didn't take him long to figure out why.

Just ahead of them, in the forest, a fire was flickering. And through the trees Leon could just make out the silhouettes of a group of men most of which appeared to be sleeping, all unaware of the group of knights sneaking up on them.

* * *

Arthur should've known it wouldn't have been that easy. It felt like he had just fallen asleep when Gwaine's hand was on his mouth, silencing him as he shook him awake. Arthur could barely hear him as he whispered, "We're surrounded. Wake up Merlin, we have to move."

The peace Arthur had felt vanished instantly. As he jolted into wakefulness he realized immediately that Gwaine was right. The trees on all sides of their small camp were rustling unnaturally, and if he listened very closely he could almost hear the whispers of the men who had found them. He hated disturbing Merlin from his much-needed rest, but all the rest in the world wouldn't help Merlin if they were caught. Mimicking Gwaine's method of waking him, Arthur crouched beside Merlin and placed his palm over his mouth before gently shaking him. At first it didn't seem this would work, so Arthur began whispering Merlin's name in his ear repeatedly until the young warlock's eyes flickered open.

"They've found us, Merlin. We have to get out of here." Arthur said quickly, removing his hand from Merlin's mouth when he was certain he understood the direness of their situation.

"Do the others know?" Merlin asked, sitting up slightly.

"Gwaine's waking everyone else up now, but we're surrounded. If we don't think of something fast, it won't matter whether or not we're awake, they will catch us."

Merlin nodded, his eyebrows knotted together in concentration. "What we need," he mumbled, "is a distraction." He then smiled a slightly wicked grin, watching the slowly dying fire as he said, "When I say now, I need you to close your eyes, alright Arthur?"

"Alright, but how will the others know to close their eyes?" Arthur asked, hoping Merlin had thought this plan of his through.

"I can let Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot know with the connection we share. Hopefully they're close enough to Gwen and Elyan to let them know my plan as well…" Merlin replied. He then closed his eyes and remained silent. Arthur had never received a mental message from Merlin, but he knew that Merlin used this as a way to communicate with Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine when they snuck into Camelot. After a brief moment of concentration, Merlin opened his eyes again and smiled at Arthur. From somewhere across their little camp Arthur could just barely hear the faint hiss of a whisper. Hopefully that was someone explaining Merlin's instructions to their newest members, and not their enemies already upon them. Merlin seemed optimistic about their chances as he took Arthur's hand and said, "As soon as I tell you to open your eyes again, we're going to have to run. I may need your help when we get to that stage, as I'm still rather worn out. I should be able to get us out of here, but I don't know how much more my magic can handle before I completely exhaust myself."

Arthur nodded and squeezed Merlin's hand in reassurance as Merlin turned back towards the fire and took a deep breath before shouting "NOW!"

Arthur clenched his eyes shut, so he couldn't see exactly what Merlin did, but even with his eyes closed he could feel the heat of the flames Merlin must have conjured. If he had kept his eyes open, he would have been momentarily blinded by the huge pillar of flames that roared to life in the once dying fire-pit, scorching the sockets of all the men gathered around their little camp. But, his eyes were shut, so all he saw was a brief change in the darkness behind his eyelids before Merlin was pulling him up, shouting at the others to run.

Arthur's eyes blinked open as he followed Merlin into the forest, Merlin using his magic to push away the knights in their way, although most of them were easy to get past as they stumbled about in the forest, swinging their swords blindly in an attempt to stop them. Once they were through the line of men Arthur turned around quickly, to see Lancelot pulling Gwen right behind them, followed closely by Percival, Gwaine and Elyan. Arthur smiled as he turned back to Merlin, planning on telling him that his plan had worked, but that smile was quickly wiped away as he saw Merlin's face. He looked gaunt, so much worse than he had when they had returned from the castle. He was already panting, and didn't look like he could continue running for long, which wasn't good. From the back of the group, Gwaine was yelling for them to go faster. Apparently the knights had solved their problems quickly and were once again on their tails.

As Gwaine shouted at them to move faster Merlin's eyes had shut momentarily, as if he was trying to suppress tears. Arthur's hand was still entwined with Merlin's keeping them together as they ran, so each time Merlin stumbled, each time he slowed, Arthur went with him. Arthur was on the verge of picking him up and carrying him, as that would be faster when Percival was at his side saying, "We need to hide. If we can get to the Valley of the Fallen Kings we might stand a chance."

Arthur nodded, giving Merlin's hand a squeeze and whispering "not long now" with a smile before turning in the direction of the supposedly-cursed valley. Hopefully the curse would be enough to frighten at least some of the knights, maybe drawing them off their scent long enough for them to find shelter in the many caves and crevices in the valley. And if that didn't work, at least the valley was narrow enough that the knights wouldn't be able to surround them, and their lack in numbers wouldn't be quite as much of a handicap. The hand that wasn't still clinging to Merlin reached down and clasped his sword's hilt, reassuring himself of its presence in case they needed to do battle.

Lancelot and Gwen had taken the lead by the time they got to the Valley of the Fallen Kings. Arthur and Merlin were right behind them, although Arthur could tell Merlin was struggling to keep up. Percival had moved behind Merlin, and looked as if he was preparing to catch Merlin if he fell, which both reassured and terrified Arthur as he realized how bad Merlin must look if he had triggered such behavior in the others. Elyan was right beside Percival, while Gwaine took up the rear, keeping them updated on the proximity of their pursuers. It seemed the knights were more afraid of Uther than the legends surrounding the valley as they poured in behind Gwaine, still on their heels. They wouldn't be able to hide with them so close, and Arthur knew Merlin wouldn't make it much further. It was time to fight.

Arthur could sense Merlin's panic as he let go of his hand, but he knew that it was the right thing to do. Elyan had almost ran into him when he stopped, just barely skidding to a stop as Arthur turned, one hand on his sword hilt, eyes gleaming as he prepared for battle. It didn't take the rest of them long to figure out what had happened, and soon the rest of their group was gathered around him, Merlin tugging on his arm and shouting, "Come on, Arthur! We need to keep moving!"

"You're exhausted, Merlin. Don't try to argue with me, you look terrible. And we can't keep running forever. I can hold them off here, give you time to get away. They won't kill me, the king won't want me dead, and you lot will be able to hide. At least here I will be able to fight them one by one, instead of out in the open where I would be surrounded and subdued in an instant."

"I'm not leaving you, Arthur! If you stay and fight, so do I!" Merlin yelled back, his voice slightly hoarse with desperation.

"Then when they overpower us, you will die, I will be taken back to my father and locked up for the rest of my life, and the people will continue to suffer. If you run now no one will have to die, and one day we will be reunited once again. So run now, Merlin. I won't let you die."

Merlin didn't run. Arthur could see the knights approaching; they didn't have long enough to fuss about what would happen. He growled in frustration and turned instead to Percival, hissing, "Get him out of here!" Before drawing his sword and charging towards his father's men. He could hear Merlin shouting behind him, but the shouts got further and further away and were soon drowned out completely by the clashes of steel against steel as he held back the men sent out to track them down. All he could do was pray his plan worked as he dispatched man after man, doing his best to only wound and not kill, hoping Merlin would be proud of him. His skills had not faded at all with his time away from the training field, and he was more than a match for most of the men pursuing them. But there was only so long he could hold off most of Camelot's army. His own exhaustion caused him to stumble, allowing the knight he had been fighting to gain the upper hand. His sword was quickly knocked away as he fell to the ground and Uther's men surrounded him. He recognized a few of them, but there were many new faces in the ranks of knights he had once trained with. He couldn't help but smile when he realized none of the men had continued past him once he had been subdued, meaning that his plan had worked better than he had ever hoped. Merlin would be safe with all the knights focused on him.

He tried to focus on that as his arms were pulled behind him and chained behind his back. While some of the older knights looked almost guilty at the rough treatment of their prince, the newer ones looked almost gleeful as they pulled Arthur to his feet and began shoving him back towards Camelot, and his father.


	25. Chapter 25: Methods of Madness

**AN: Alright, I've written a bit more. :)**

**Sorry the chapters have gotten so much shorter. Don't really know what to say. But I felt like I needed to post something so I did :/**

**And although this chapter does not contain any, Arthur!Whump is coming, readers beware. I swear I will not be killing off any characters. Seriously. But things may get a bit messy for a while.**

**In other news, thanks for all the reviews, views, hits, favorites, and follows. It has been far too long since I have thanked you all. You really do make me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside!**

**And, as always, I don't own Merlin. If I ever got a hold of him you guys would definitely be the first to know ;)**

Chapter Twenty-five: Methods of Madness

Merlin had never been as angry at Percival as he was in the moment his surrogate-brother picked him up, tossed him over his large shoulders, and ran off in the opposite direction of Arthur. Didn't Percival realize that Arthur was in danger? They could fight off the guards together, but Arthur wouldn't be able to on his own. By running away from the clashing of blades they had abandoned Arthur to Uther and his men.

But, even through his despair, part of Merlin knew Arthur's plan made a certain amount of sense. They were outnumbered by about five men to one, and he wasn't going to be conscious for much longer. It was strange to think that only this morning he and Arthur had been happily caring for the children of the east town, and now, well, now who knew when they would see each other again.

Merlin was rather numb by the time Percival stopped, carefully lowering him off his shoulder but keeping a hand locked around his arm, as if he was afraid Merlin was about to take off back towards Arthur and the knights. He did consider it for a moment, glancing back in the direction they had come before sagging in Percival's grip, knowing that at this point it would be useless. Arthur was long gone.

He thought the others might be talking, possibly to him as well, but he didn't hear them. He was lost, Arthur had come to be such a constant in his life he didn't really know what to do without him anymore. He didn't even try to stop the tears as they began to spill from his eyes, cascading down his face as he tried not to think about how quickly he had broken his promise of protecting Arthur.

He felt his knees go weak, and was about to fall to the ground when he felt warm arms wrapped around him. These arms were dark and soft, unlike Arthur's beefy, sun-tanned limbs, but they still gave him an incredible sense of safety and security. It felt as he imagined his mother's arms had felt, and reminded him of the protection she had offered before she had been stolen from him. His breath hitched slightly as he looked up to see Gwen smiling back at him, holding him tight to her and allowing him to weep into the sleeve of the dress she wore.

Even though Gwen was no match for Arthur, her hug somehow managed to help him gain control over his emotions, and his body gradually regained feeling as the tears streaming from his eyes slowed. She continued to hold him though, waiting until he took a deep breath and straightened up. Her eyes met his as he wiped away the last tears, and he couldn't help but be grateful Lancelot had met her. Her eyes shown of not just kindness and compassion, but also hope.

"You will get Arthur back." She said with a confident and yet slightly sympathetic smile. "I haven't known you for long, but I can tell you two were made for each other. No one could keep you apart, not even the King of Camelot."

"Gwen's right." Lancelot said, grabbing Merlin's shoulder and guiding him over to a small cave. Gwaine and Elyan were sitting around a small fire just beyond the entrance, far enough in they wouldn't be spotted from the forest outside. "You got me out, we'll be able to get Arthur as well. But you can't squander his sacrifice either. He's given us time to rest, recuperate, and plan. When we are ready, nothing will be able to stop us."

Merlin nodded, trying his best to force out a watery smile as Percival sat him down near the fire. The numbness had faded slightly, so he could feel the warmth of the fire and the comforting wait of Percival's hand on his shoulder. As the larger man pushed him back to lie on the cold surface of the ground, Merlin's head resting comfortably against Percival's legs, Merlin heard him whisper, "Sleep, Merlin. You know Arthur would be telling you the same if he were here. And he will be here with us again. I promise."

With those words comforting him, Merlin drifted off into unconsciousness, praying that Arthur was alright.

* * *

The city was empty by the time Arthur and the knights reached the gates. The only people who seemed to still be awake were the two guards posted as centuries at the gates, although by the way their eyelids drooped it seemed they were only barely clinging to consciousness. The walk through the forest had been quite a dreary one for Arthur, the only redeeming factor came in speaking with Leon when the knight had managed to move to his side.

"I'm sorry about this." The knight had said, looking quite worried, "I don't know how they found your camp, and I did try to lead them in the wrong direction, but I did not want to look too suspicious either. Someone has to keep a watch over the thugs Uther's hired."

"It's good to see you Leon." Arthur had whispered back, trying not to let any of the other knights hear him. "And it's not your fault. You've done well to keep so close to the king."

Leon had been forced to move away from Arthur after their brief conversation, as he couldn't allow any suspicion to fall to him. He had kept the other knights from treating Arthur too badly though, reminding them that Uther wouldn't want him harmed. He had shuddered slightly when he heard a knight he didn't recognize mutter "Maybe not yet." But he had done his best not to think too much about what that man had meant.

Leon was at the front of the group when they reached the castle, leading the men through the empty corridors till they reached the large oak doors that Arthur knew lead into the throne room. He felt his heart beat increase as the mighty doors were pulled back, revealing the large room that he had been in so often when he was still crown prince of Camelot. It was strange to think that after months of not seeing his father he would now be seeing him twice in one night.

The room was empty as he was pushed inside, the clinking of the knights' armor echoing in the long hallway. Someone ordered one of the younger-looking knights to go get the king as Arthur tried to stand as tall and proud as he had when he greeted foreign dignitaries in this hall. His clothes felt so light as he remembered the weight of full armor and royal regalia he had been required to wear almost every time he entered this room. Even though those clothes were so uncomfortable compared to what he was currently dressed in (a dark brown wool shirt and black pants, still wearing the clothes they had originally chosen for breaking into the palace to rescue Lancelot) he couldn't help but hope one day he would be in a position to wear them again, guiding his people to a better and brighter future, with Merlin at his side, protecting and guiding.

He was pulled from his thoughts as the doors banged open once more. He didn't turn to see his father's entrance, instead staring straight towards the throne, head held high. By returning here tonight, he would have protected his friends and his kingdom for another day. He would never regret it.

The heavy footsteps of the king echoed in the hall as Uther marched around the knights to face Arthur head on. Arthur tried to keep his gaze cold and unfeeling as the king faced him, but he couldn't suppress the look of surprise that crossed his face as he was pulled into a hug.

"Arthur!" Uther cried out, sounding shockingly close to tears, "I knew I would get you back. And we will break the hold that thief has on you, I swear. The bond between father and son is far greater than any magic."

Arthur tried to push out of his father's hold, but it was difficult with his hands still bound behind him. The shock of it all definitely didn't help. He had been ready for verbal abuse, for yelling and harsh words, but not hugs. It was rather sad, but this was probably one of the first times in his life his father had actually embraced him. Unfortunately for Uther, the part of Arthur that had longed for such a show of emotions from his father was long gone.

As Uther finally pulled back Arthur's expression grew spiteful. "How can you say that? How can there be such a bond between us? You never once treated me as a father should his son. I was never good enough for you, so you pushed me away, even when I did everything I could to gain your affection! I may have only known him for a few months, but the bond between Merlin and I is much stronger than any perceived bond you and I share. Nothing you can do will break it."

The ringed hand that smacked across Arthur's face was much more the reaction he had been expecting. A small trail of blood ran across his left cheek where one of the jewels had pierced his skin, leaving a red line across his otherwise clean face. As he turned to look back at Uther, he was surprised to see regret mixed in with the anger that had clouded his previously happy expression. "You are mine, Arthur." The king growled, "Not his. And I will do whatever is necessary to remind you of that fact."

Uther then turned back towards the men holding Arthur and ordered, "Take him to the East Tower, lock him in the top room. Make sure a pair of guards is always stationed outside the doors, at the base of the tower, and at the stairway leading to the tower. I will not lose him again!"

Even though Arthur wasn't exactly looking forward to being locked up in a tower like some princess in a fairytale, anything seemed better than staying as the same room as Uther. Even just looking at the king made him feel vaguely sick. He couldn't believe he had once pledged his life and loyalty to such a terrible man. But that was in the past. Now he needed to worry about how he was going to get out of here. No doubt Merlin would do whatever he could to get back to Arthur, including risking his own safety. Knowing that Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine would be there to keep him from doing anything too stupid was slightly reassuring, but didn't completely banish the nervous fluttering of his stomach. Somehow he would need to get in touch with them, but how?

The answer to this question came in the ever-faithful form of Sir Leon. Arthur had never been quite so happy to see the loyal knight as he was when he realized his friend had entered with him into the tower room.

"I don't have much time," Leon said, pulling Arthur over to the far corner of the room and unlocking his shackles. "I told the men outside I was just doing one last inspection for the king, so they will be suspicious if I take too long. But I wanted to let you know my loyalty is still to you and you only, and that I will do whatever I can to aide in your escape."

"Thank you, Leon." Arthur said, clapping him on the back as the shackles fell from his wrists. "I shall never forget how you stayed by my side through these struggles. Hopefully one day I will be able to repay you."

"There is no need, your highness. I've known you since we were both children, but I have never been more proud to be in you service. Is there any way you know I could help you get back to Merlin?"

Arthur tried to suppress the blush that Leon's overly kind words had induced, focusing as best as he could on the second part of his question. Leon wouldn't be able to get him out on his own, the mere idea was ludicrous. No, what needed to happen was for Leon to find Merlin and the others, and then together work out a plan using Leon's position and Merlin's skills to get him out. But he had no idea where Percival would have taken Merlin by now, so he couldn't very well send Leon to him. If only there was some other way of contacting Merlin…

"Of course!" Arthur shouted, thinking aloud. He quickly reached under his shirt and pulled out the blue-grey stone that still hung around his neck and handed it to Leon. "As soon as you are able to get out of the castle, squeeze this stone twice, and go to the lake about two miles east of the castle. Hopefully Merlin will meet you there, and you can help them come up with a plan. Just be sure you are not followed, and please try not to lose that stone."

Leon looked slightly confused at first, but as Arthur finished explaining he smiled and took the stone from his outstretched hand. "I will, Arthur. And I will be back here as soon as I can. Just, don't worry. We will fix this."

Arthur nodded as Leon turned to exit the small room, sad to see him go but filled with a new sense of hope. Leon was still a trusted knight, with his help Merlin might actually stand a chance of getting him out of here. Still, it would take a couple days so he might as well get used to his new accommodations.

The room was small and bare, a cylinder that was fortunately wide enough for him to lie down in and quite tall. It was completely devoid of any comfort, and would have been defined only by the stone that composed it if it wasn't for the small wooden door and the thin strip of a window. It was slightly better than the dungeons though, as he would at least get some light and there were probably no rats or other varmints crawling through this room. It would be much more difficult to escape from though, which was probably why he had been imprisoned here. The window was much too small for him to climb out through, and even if it was large enough, it would take quite a lot of time and rope to accomplish a feat like that, and the only other path out went straight past at least four other guards and through most of the royal palace. If Lancelot had been difficult to break out, he would be near impossible.

Still, if anyone could accomplish something impossible it would be Merlin. And with Leon on his side, well, maybe it would be slightly less impossible. Maybe just improbable?

As these thoughts buzzed around in Arthur's head he began to realize just how tired he was. The adrenalin burst that had come from fighting with the knights and seeing his father had worn off long ago, leaving him weary from his long day. As there was nothing else he could do from his position at the moment but wait, Arthur settled down on the cold, stone floor, and drifted off into dreams, hoping that somewhere out in the safety of the woods Merlin was doing the same.

* * *

Uther wasn't sure if he was happy to have Arthur back, or furious that Arthur was so completely under Emrys' spell. He had never seen magic this dark and strong before in his life. It seemed more than cruel for Emrys to twist his once-perfect Arthur into the evil being who he had spoken with earlier. Arthur didn't even seem to remember all Uther had done for him in the past anymore. He could stand the rest of the kingdom hating him, but Arthur? Arthur was meant to respect and follow him no matter what.

Uther couldn't help but wish for the days of Arthur's youth back. He had been such a good child, even though Uther often had trouble seeing it through the cloud of misery and anger Ygraine's death had caused him. Of course he had caused his share of mischief as well, but he had always worked hard to become the man Uther knew he would grow to be. Or would have grown to be, if it wasn't for the interference of a thieving sorcerer and his band of low-lives. Next time Uther saw Emrys, he was going to rip his head off with his bare hands. No one messed with his family.

But Arthur was back now, Uther reminded himself. All he needed to do was break the spell. And he had a pretty good idea of how to do this now. While the knights had been searching for the thief and his associates, Uther had been working as well. The thief was more difficult to kill than he had expected, so he had researched alternative ways of breaking a curse like the one Emrys had placed on Arthur. One particularly fascinating tome suggested that one could be freed from spells of this nature through physical pain and bloodletting. As some part of the magician's power would have to remain over the subject, the pain would be felt in equal measure by the sorcerer, eventually forcing them to let go. If this was unsuccessful, draining the blood was another alternative, as if done often enough the recipient of the spell would lose the blood that had been tainted by the evils of the magic. Although Uther did not enjoy the thought of hurting his own son, he would do whatever was necessary to free him. If these things worked, it wouldn't be long before he had his son back, in both mind and body, which was worth any sacrifice, as Arthur would certainly agree.

These thoughts comforted Uther as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep, glad to know that at last one of his children was back under his care.


	26. Chapter 26: The Prince in the Tower

**AN: Ok, so I'm headed back towards College, which unfortunately means fewer updates. I will do my best to keep working, but it may take a while.**

**In other news, we are approaching the grande finale. This isn't it, but it is coming. That might go a bit faster as well, as I've kind of had it planned since August. **

**Well, hope you enjoy me being horrible to Arthur! And thank you all for the lovely reviews for the last chapter. Sorry I didn't get around to answering them. I've just been a bit busy finishing all the things I needed to finish before I left. But I still do love you all for reading and everything else! Reviewers are why I make time in my schedule to keep writing :)**

**And I don't own Merlin. I'm not feeling any clever comments coming on today, sorry.**

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Prince in the Tower

Arthur didn't really know what he expected when the door to his little room swung open, but it definitely wasn't the massive man with a scar across his left eye. It must have taken about five cows to make the man's outfit, he was covered from head to toe black leather and was probably about the same size as Percival. He didn't say a word to Arthur as he marched across the small room, a set of shackles in one hand and a large wooden mallet in the other. Two other guards had entered behind him, and had quickly moved to Arthur's sides, holding him so he couldn't interfere with the large man's work. Arthur could feel his heart rate rising with each vicious swing of the mallet, as he watched the man affix a hook into the wall. When the brute had finished he attached the shackles to the hook, sliding it through one of the holes in the chain. The addition to Arthur's current chambers changed the mood entirely. It was clear now that he was a prisoner, not just an ill-treated guest, and that the king's plans for him were none to pleasant.

As soon as the large man was finished, the two guards holding him quickly escorted him towards the new addition to the room. He tried to pull away, but the moment he started struggling the leather-coated brute had moved to help his two smaller colleges. Arthur stood no chance against the three of them, and it wasn't long before both his wrists were encased in cold metal, his back pressed against the wall. The three men left then, still in silence, leaving Arthur alone once more in the tower. He wasn't left alone long though, and by the sounds of footsteps it sounded like he was about to be joined by about half the army.

It wasn't the army. Of course it wasn't the army. It was Uther, followed by the same two guards. A servant darted in behind the rest of the party, carrying a clanking bag and keeping his head down. It showed how much Arthur had changed in the past year that he had felt sorry for the poor man who looked like he wanted to be about as far away from the tower room as possible. A year ago he wouldn't have even noticed him, but now he couldn't help but side with the servant. Working men like him were what Camelot was made of.

Uther on the other hand, only had eyes for him. He was watching Arthur with something that looked suspiciously like pity. Arthur had suspected anger or hatred, but not pity. Nothing the king was doing made any sense to him. He supposed he should have gotten used to it by now, but it seemed he would never understand the man who he had once called father.

"Arthur, I hope you're not too uncomfortable. Once this treatment is over you will be able to return to your chambers." The king said, talking slowly like he thought Arthur was somehow mentally unstable.

"What treatment?" Arthur asked, trying to push himself further back into the wall. He wasn't scared exactly, Arthur didn't get scared, but the insane glint in Uther's eyes was rather unsettling.

"I would have thought it obvious, Arthur. You are still under Emrys' spell. My treatment will break you from his magic and return you to my side. It will be painful, Arthur, and I am sorry. But you will thank me in the end."

"I'm not under any spell!" Arthur shouted, trying not to think about why his father had pulled out two gauntlets from the clanking bag. "What is it going to take for you to believe that! I agree with Emrys. Not because he's enchanted me and not because he's feeding me some potion or whatever other garbage you think. He is an amazing man, he cares about everyone, he treats everyone equally regardless of status and strength, and he would never use his powers to force someone too feel or think what he wants them to. That's not the kind of man he is."

"You may not be able to see it, Arthur, but you are under a spell." Uther said as he finished putting on the second gauntlet, flexing his fingers menacingly. "And I will free you from it."

Arthur didn't have time to respond before a metal encased fist rocketed into his stomach. He barely had time to regain his breath before the other fist slammed into his shoulder, causing his head to knock back against the wall. The first fist was back again, slamming into his other arm, and Arthur couldn't suppress a scream as he heard then felt the bone his father had hit snap. He blinked through tears as the pummeling stopped and Uther stepped back, still watching Arthur. Arthur's vision was still blurred slightly from pain, so he could only hear the clinking that meant the gauntlets were coming off. Whatever this treatment was, he definitely didn't like it. His tears were beginning to dry as he felt Uther's callused hand on his cheek.

"If there was another way, I would have taken it." Uther whispered, as he stroked Arthur's cheek lovingly before drawing back his hand and socking Arthur right in the eye. The hand was back quickly, gripping Arthur's chin and pulling his head up so he was forced to meet Uther's gaze with his one good eye. "Has he released you?" Uther asked, still speaking slowly, "Was it too much for him? Do I have my son back?"

Arthur took a deep breath and replied, "The only… person… who won't let me go… is you, _Father_." Arthur growled, gasping between every few words. Uther sighed, dropping Arthur's head so it fell back against his chest. Arthur could no longer see him but he could hear his disappointment as he said, "That's enough for today. Get the prince down and get Gaius up here. We can't let this treatment permanently injure him."

There was a chorus of Yes Sire's as the men all jumped to do Uther's bidding. Arthur just barely kept from screaming in pain again as the chain was pulled off the hook and his broken arm dropped back to his side. He curled around his broken arm, protecting it as he fell down to the cold ground. He didn't even hear the door slam as his visitors left. He remained curled up on his side in silence for what felt like an eternity before the door opened again, allowing Gaius and the small serving boy into his cell.

"Arthur!" He heard the physician shout, "What happened to you?"

Arthur did his best to uncurl from his fetal position, not wanting to be seen as weak. He managed to pull himself up to a sitting position, his arm still cradled against his chest as the servant answered for him.

"The king beat him up! Said something about breaking a spell. He hit him all over wearing gauntlets!"

Gaius scowled and set about poking and prodding Arthur, pulling things out of his pouch and spreading them out on the floor of the tower room. Arthur tried to remain stoic as Gaius began examining his arm, but there was nothing he could do to keep quiet as Gaius tried to get him to move it forward.

"Your arm is broken." Gaius stated. "Your father broke your arm to free you from a spell the son of Balinor didn't set on you. What is wrong with this kingdom?"

"Well, for one, we've got a crazy man on the throne." Arthur said, trying to laugh but stopping when he realized how much it hurt.

"Sshh, Arthur. Let me fix you up before you go and injure yourself further."

Arthur nodded, letting Gaius do his thing as the pain slowly eased. It might not have been quite as good as Merlin's magic, but the draught Gaius gave him really did make him feel better. It took a while, but eventually Gaius finished, sitting back and allowing Arthur some space to breathe.

"I brought you some water and bread as well, my lord." The servant said, passing the food and water skin over to Arthur

"Thank you." Arthur said, taking the sustenance and watching the servant. He couldn't be much younger than him, and had dark hair and blue eyes like Merlin. Besides that he didn't look at all like his warlock, he was too short and slightly rounder, and his ears were completely hidden beneath his hair. Arthur smiled at him and said, "You can call me Arthur, by the way. What's your name?"

"I'm Henry, s-Arthur." The servant said, smiling back. Gaius seemed to be pleased with this, smiling at the both of them.

"I'm glad to see Emrys has had some effect on you, Arthur." Gaius said with a smile.

"He really has, and his name is Merlin. You seem to know a little about his parents, he keeps his name to remember them. I'm guessing he'd want you to call him that too."

Gaius nodded, looking lost in memories for a moment as he sighed, "I was good friends with his mother, Hunith. She was a wonderful woman. I still can't believe there son made it out alive. I went out to meet him when he was still a baby. Hunith and Balinor didn't know what to do with a toddler who could do magic. They were having trouble keeping his gifts a secret. He would make bright lights and strange clouds whenever he was happy. Apparently he once almost started a flood with a tantrum. I didn't see any of his bad side though. He was a sweet little thing. I built him a grave in Ealdor, I never thought he could have survived."

"You met Merlin as a baby?" Arthur said, completely taken aback by this new discovery.

"I only saw him the once, but I was friends with his parents. They were some of the best friends I ever had. I will do whatever I can to protect their son as I couldn't protect them."

Arthur smiled back at him. It was good to know there were still a few good people in this castle. "I'm sure Merlin would be glad to get to know you. There's no one else left who can tell him anything about his parents."

Gaius smiled up at him as he continued to bind his wounds and said, "In all my years of watching over you, Arthur, I have never been more proud. You've done what I was too afraid to do, you stood up to the king. He might actually listen to you, eventually."

"You mean after he beats me half to death. I wish he could understand!" Arthur shouted in frustration. "He won't even give Merlin a chance, no matter what he does."

"It may be too late for your father to change, but that shouldn't stop you from doing the right thing." Gaius said with a sigh. "At least Camelot can be assured that in the future, things will be better."

"I don't see how they could get much worse." Arthur said with a grimace as Gaius handed him one last potion.

"Drink this, it will help you sleep. I'll do my best to talk some sense into the king." Gaius said, gathering his equipment together and moving towards the door. "I'm guessing your guards have orders to pull me out if I don't leave soon, so I should be on my way. You are doing the right thing, Arthur. Remember that."

Arthur simply nodded as the man who had been mending all his wounds since he was a mere babe left his little prison, Henry following him. As the door slammed shut and the lock clicked into place, Arthur tilted his head back and downed the final potion. The effects were almost immediate, sending him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Leon didn't like how quiet the castle had gotten since Arthur's capture. Besides the king and the knights, no one seemed to know the prince was once again residing in the castle. Leon had expected Uther to make some show of it, bragging about how he had finally won one battle against Emrys, but almost no one saw Uther all day. Even though it made Leon nervous, it did make it much easier for him to carry out the first part of Arthur's plan. He had kept the blue-gray stone with him ever since Arthur had told him of its power, and now it seemed he had the perfect opportunity to use it.

Getting out of the castle was simple for him, he was always being ordered out on patrols so when he rode past the guards watching over the gates they didn't spare him a second glance. As long as he was back before dark, no one would find his trip suspicious at all.

He waited till he was in the cover of the trees to squeeze the small stone twice, just as Arthur had instructed, then rode off in the direction of the lake where he would hopefully meet Emrys and help plan Arthur's escape.

* * *

Merlin had been sulking all morning. He was still slightly angry at all of his friends for keeping him from going after Arthur the night before. He had tried to persuade them that he was ready to go as soon as he woke, but Percival had threatened to knock him right back out if he didn't agree to stay put and form a plan of attack. Merlin had tried arguing that their plan for rescuing Lancelot had failed about as soon as it started, so they might as well go in without one as that seemed to work just as well, but Percival had been adamant. Merlin might have considered using his magic to keep Percival back and running off to the castle by himself, but in the end he decided his best chance to get Arthur back would be by working with his friends, not running off alone. Still, sitting comfortably in the woods and talking just didn't seem good enough to Merlin. He needed Arthur back.

He had been fiddling with the blue-gray stone he wore around his neck all morning, wondering where its pair was, when he suddenly felt it flare twice. His eyebrows creased in confusion. Why would Arthur want him to go to the Lake of Avalon? Could he have escaped on his own, or had he cracked and told him father how to find him, or was it even purposeful? Perhaps he was playing with his as well, and had accidently squeezed it twice, not really thinking. Still, if there was some chance that Arthur had gotten out and wanted Merlin to meet him at the lake, how could Merlin refuse? He stood up suddenly, earning looks of worry and confusion from the rest of the group as he said, "We're going to the Lake of Avalon."

Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine exchanged a worried look at his announcement while Gwen and Elyan simply looked confused. Merlin sighed, and turned, walking in the direction of the lake. He would go alone if no one else was willing to listen to him. It wasn't like he was planning on going to the castle, he just had to check. He knew he had felt the stone flare, which meant Arthur wanted him to go to the lake. And if that was what Arthur wanted, that was what he would do. He had already failed Arthur too many times, he wasn't going to ignore him this time. He hadn't gotten more than ten feet from the small circle when Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot were rushing to his side, looking like they were planning on pulling him back.

"Are you sure that going to the lake is a good plan, Merlin?" Gwaine asked, still smiling even if it looked a little pained, "You know what happened last time you went."

"Arthur's not going to be there, Merlin." Percival said, gripping Merlin's shoulder to keep him from walking further from the camp. "Uther would never let him out of the castle now that he's got him back."

"Come back and help us plan." Lancelot said, offering a sympathetic smile, and moving in front of Merlin. "As soon as we come up with something we can go get Arthur ourselves."

Merlin just glared at them, trying to think of the least harmful way to get them out of his path. But he didn't want to be forced to use his magic on them, he just needed them to see reason, so he took a deep breath and said, "I know, ok? I know Arthur won't be at the lake. But he sent the signal. For some reason he wants me at the lake, so that's where I'm going. And it won't be like last time. You lot can come with me, and we can stay hidden until we are certain that this isn't some trap. But I have to go, and I will go with or without you. You may be stronger than me physically, but if try to stop me from getting to the lake now I will use magic to get past you. I think you all know better than most how powerful I am, and I will make it past you."

Percival still looked like he was planning on holding him back, but Lancelot and Gwaine seemed to be less sure. As he took another step forward and Percival's grip on his shoulder tightened, Gwaine shouted, "Wait! Before you blast Percival, can we think about this?"

Merlin sighed and glared at Gwaine, trying to imply that if he didn't think fast, Merlin would blast him as well.

"Merlin may have a point, Percy. But Percy also has a point. The lake is where you got caught last time, and none of us want to risk that happening again. So we need to be careful. But I think we should go. Arthur wouldn't have betrayed Merlin, and we can stay hidden well enough that even if it is some sort of ambush we will be able to get away before they see us. We're in better shape than we were last night, we can handle some sneaking and running. Arthur's smart, he probably has some sort of plan, and if he's trying to get Merlin to go to the lake there must be a reason. He wouldn't risk Merlin's safety, I think we all know that. So, I say we go to the lake, but we also go carefully. We've done much more dangerous things before."

Merlin smiled at Gwaine, glad that he had understood what Merlin was thinking. Lancelot had nodded as Gwaine finished, and even Percival gave a quick nod, moving to the lead of the group and walking in the direction of the lake. Lancelot squeezed his shoulder as he went back to explain to Gwen and Elyan where they were going and why, as Merlin turned to Gwaine and said, "Thank you." Before following Percival as well. Gwaine just shrugged and said, "Arthur's a good man, Merlin. And we are going to get him back. But you have to believe that we are on your side. We want him back as well, probably not nearly as much as you do, but we also don't want you to get hurt. Please, trust that we really are doing our best to get him back."

"I know." Merlin replied, looking over at Gwaine who had joined him in following Percival. "I understand what you all are doing, I swear I do. It's just hard to remember that my safety is important when Arthur's in trouble. I'm supposed to protect him. I promised him I would."

Gwaine put his arm around Merlin's shoulder, squeezing him close and saying, "He's going to be fine, Merlin. He'd be a lot worse off if you go and get yourself killed trying to save him. And I'm sure Uther won't do anything too bad to him. No matter what else has happened, he is still Arthur's father."

"I hope you're right, Gwaine. I really hope you're right." Merlin mumbled as they continued walking. Luckily they weren't too far from the lake, but it still was a good walk before they reached it. The rest of the way they walked was in silence, Percival leading, Merlin and Gwaine behind him, and Lancelot, Gwen, and Elyan at the rear.

Merlin almost ran straight into Percival when he stopped. He hadn't realized how close they were, but now that he really looked he realized he could see the lake shining just ahead of them, through the trees. He crept forward to get a better look at what was going on by the lake, as Percival was staying rather quiet. As he peered down at the bank, he saw a single solitary figure looking out over the water.

It wasn't Arthur.

The hair was all wrong, and the way he was shining made it clear that he was wearing armor. So, it was a knight? Did that mean this was a trap? But then why would they send only one knight? Lancelot was the first to speak as he leaned further around his tree and said, "Wait a minute, isn't that Sir Leon?"

Sir Leon? Wasn't that the knight Arthur introduced him to? So then Arthur had sent him! Merlin couldn't help but smile as Gwen confirmed Lancelot's claim, and began to head out of the trees and towards the bank. Lancelot was quick to follow her, and Merlin was right behind. Percival stilled looked worried as Merlin ran past, but if this man had a message from Arthur Merlin needed to hear it. It wasn't long before Leon noticed them, looking up from his position at the lake and looking quite relieved to see them.

"Guinevere?" Sir Leon called out as they approached him. "What are you doing with Emrys?"

Before she could reply, Merlin cut her off, saying, "Arthur sent you, right? Is he ok?"

Leon smiled at Merlin and said, "Yes. The prince sent me. The king is keeping him locked in the east tower, but as far as I know he should be fine. King Uther still thinks that you have some type of spell on him, so I think he's planning on keeping him locked up until he finds some way of breaking the spell. He's under constant guard, but the king still trusts me. I have some control over who gets put in charge of watching him, and I have free range of most of the castle. I don't have the key to his room though, only the king has that, and I doubt he would give it to anyone unless he has some specific instructions for them."

"That won't be a problem." Merlin said, finally feeling a bit better. "I can open the door without a key, the bigger problem is getting there and getting out."

"I think I could get you in." Leon said, surprising Merlin. "Uther still has patrols leaving and looking for any signs of you almost constantly. If I lead one and meet you somewhere, could you take care of the rest of them? If I leave with four men and come back with four men the guards at the castle gates shouldn't notice anything."

Merlin's smile grew the entire time Leon spoke. Now they knew exactly where Arthur was being held and had a way into the castle. Getting Arthur out could get tricky, but with Leon's help it just might be possible!

"We can handle four men." Percival interjected, coming to stand next to Merlin. "Just tell us when and where, and we will take care of the rest."

Leon smiled back at Percival and said, "Two days time, at noon. I can lead the men back here, if that works. I'll just need a little time between now and then to see if I can't figure out anything else about the king's plans for Arthur. If anything changes, I'll let you know."

All Merlin could do was smile and nod. It wouldn't be long now before Arthur was safe with him once more.


	27. Chapter 27: Men and Monsters

**AN: In case the huge break didn't tip you off, I am back at school. This of course means I have no time for anything that isn't homework, classes or sleep. But I am trying to keep writing!**

**Sorry about the break. This is going to be a crazy semester, but hopefully I will fit in some writing time. I want to update once every two weeks, but that's looking less and less likely as I figure out just how busy I'm going to be, but I will try my best. I do love you guys and I want to keep updating, but it gets a bit difficult. **

**Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm almost done being cruel to Arthur, I promise ;) And Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, alerts and views! I really do appreciate all of them :)**

**Oh, and I don't own Merlin. I don't think that would fit in my schedule right now...**

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Men and Monsters

Ever since Arthur had met Merlin he had realized that there was definitely something wrong with his father, but it wasn't until Uther ordered his own son whipped that he began to suspect the king was crazy. It was clear now that his delusions about the evils of magic had pushed him over the edge and into insanity.

Part of Arthur wanted to forgive him. To give in and go back to the life he had had before. To get the man he thought of as his father back. It was the same part of him that had constantly worked to gain Uther's affection as a child, and the part that still believed that underneath the madness there was still a good man and maybe even a just king. And, of course, going back to that life of comfort would also bring an end to the pain of Uther's so called "treatment", which sounded so supremely wonderful Arthur couldn't stop himself from considering his options.

But the blood he shared with the king was nothing compared to the bond he shared with Merlin. He would endure for him. It was humbling to think Merlin had definitely gone through worse when he was a prisoner in this castle, and it made Arthur feel stronger. This pain would be the proof that he truly did love Merlin, and each scar he was left with would be a testament to that love.

Of course, Uther was doing his best to make sure there were no scars. There were some from a few hours previous when the large guard had returned with a whip, and there were two small ones on either wrist where Uther had tried draining his blood as an alternative to the torture, but Gaius had been allowed to treat him after each session and had assured him that none of his injuries would have any other permanent results.

He had been left free of the hanging shackles when Uther left for the second time that day, which was a blessing. He was much too exhausted to even contemplate moving, which was probably why the restraints had been completely removed, but it was still comforting to be free of the heavy metal weight that had been hanging around his wrists for so long.

He had almost fallen asleep when the door to his little room burst open again. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed it wasn't Uther back again already before slowly rolling over to face the door. Arthur couldn't keep from smiling slightly as he saw a friendly, although slightly horrified face.

"Leon." Arthur huffed, "It is so good to see you."

Leon looked completely flabbergasted as he closed the distance between himself and Arthur, kneeling down beside Arthur's head and helping as Arthur pulled himself upright. His eyes were scanning Arthur the entire time, the horror that had been present on his face morphing into anger.

"Gaius told me what the king had done to you, but I didn't believe him." Leon whispered, "I suppose I was wrong in thinking that Uther still has a heart."

Arthur grimaced at Leon's comment, knowing that he was right but wishing he wasn't. Wanting nothing more than to change topics Arthur asked, "Did it work? Were you able to find Merlin?"

Leon pulled his eyes away from the bandages that encircled Arthur's wrists after he had finished speaking, and met his eyes with a sad smile. "Yes, Arthur. I found him. And he's going to get you out of here. I'm going to get him into the castle, a little after noon on the day after tomorrow, and then they'll get you out of here. I know there isn't much you can do, but try to be ready then."

Arthur nodded. In less than two days Merlin would be coming for him. Hope and worry raged within him as he thought about what that meant. Merlin coming here would put Merlin in grave danger, but it would get him away from the pain and loneliness his life was becoming. Arthur knew Merlin would be chastising him if he could hear Arthur's thoughts now. He would remind Arthur of his powers and his destiny, probably adding some insult into the mix, before reassuring Arthur that he would be careful and that nothing would keep them apart. Arthur tried to believe his imaginary Merlin, and trust that he would be strong enough to get Arthur out, but the worry was still there.

"Make sure he's safe, Leon. He doesn't always think to clearly when his friends are threatened, and I can't lose him. If you think for any reason your plan isn't going to work, forget about me and get him to safety. His life is so much more important than mine."

Leon nodded slowly as he replied, "I'll do my best, and I know his friends will do everything they can to keep him safe as well, but I think in the end none of us will be able to keep him from you. And your life is important Arthur, probably more than you even realize. There are still many here who are loyal to you, and we will need a leader when the time comes. The people trust that you will return for them, and I want to be proud to be a knight of Camelot again. Someday you will be king, Arthur, no matter what anyone says or does. The loyalty you inspired as a prince guaranteed that. So please don't think that you are not important, because to the people of Camelot you are more important than you can imagine."

Arthur really hadn't been expecting that speech. Leon had never really been a man of many words, often preferring to listen than speak himself. And learning that Leon still believed that he would be king gave Arthur hope that he really would return to his people when he finally got the chance. He wanted to protect the people of the land, and he knew that working with Merlin did help him achieve that goal, but as king he would have the freedom to do all that he couldn't as an outlaw in the woods. He was still speechless when Leon gently patted him on the shoulder saying, "Get some rest, Arthur. And don't worry. The plan will work. I will be back tomorrow with Merlin, and he will get you out of Uther's grasp."

"Thank you." Arthur said with a small smile as he watched Leon leave. It wasn't long after the door to his prison had closed that he drifted back off to sleep, the smile still on his face.

* * *

Lancelot hated seeing Merlin alone. He couldn't imagine what their young leader must be going though. Lancelot knew that family was everything to Merlin, so losing any part of his strange little entourage would be devastating. But losing Arthur would be so much worse for him. Lancelot felt extremely lucky to consider himself one of Merlin's friends, and he figured that as one of the few he might have some idea what the man felt, but he was usually incredibly good at hiding his emotions. It wasn't until Arthur first stumbled into their camp that he had realized how much Merlin had been hiding from them. He knew Merlin had suffered in the past, but he always acted so carefree and happy it was easy to forget. But around Arthur he had changed, his joy seemed more genuine, his smiles brighter. Losing Arthur sent Merlin back into his shell, barely eating and rarely speaking to anyone unless they were working on the plan to rescue Arthur. Percy had been able to get him to eat a few small meals by reminding him he would need his strength for their mission, and he had been smiling slightly after returning from a walk with Gwaine, but in the end none of them could bring the new Merlin back without Arthur's help. Lancelot was almost certain if it hadn't been for Leon, Merlin would have stormed the castle on his own, and his recklessness would have almost definitely gotten him killed.

Luckily Leon had given Merlin hope, and because of that hope Merlin had stayed put, planning and resting and sulking as they waited for their moment to strike. Lancelot knew Leon's plan was for the best, but he couldn't help but wish the knight hadn't forced them to wait this extra day. Each time Merlin stood, either him, Percy, or Gwaine would stand as well, ready to stop him just in case he had decided he was done waiting and was going to attack the castle on his own. The entire day they had to wait was pure torture, keeping them all on their toes and incredibly nervous. At times it seemed that that one day would go on forever, but eventually the sun did eventually set, signaling them to settle down for the night. Sleep had been a little too much to hope for though, and as the sun rose Lancelot could tell that the others had all had similar nights. It was slightly worrying to think of storming Camelot while all of them were exhausted, but he knew waiting any longer would probably drive Merlin insane.

Gwen and Elyan had been handling the whole transition rather well, trying to help in whatever ways they could. Neither would be accompanying them to the castle as they were still too new to this life, but Elyan was enthusiastic about joining when he could and Gwen knew more about the secret passages of the castle then Arthur did. With her help they had come up with about three different routes in and out of the East Tower, hopefully one of which would be unguarded enough for them to pass through. Of course, with Leon's help that might not even be an issue.

Lancelot could not express how thankful he was to the rebellious knight for his help. After putting Merlin to sleep the night after Arthur had been captured, Percival, Gwaine, and himself had a discussion about what they would have to do to get Arthur out. They had come up with nothing. At the end of their failed discussion Percival had actually suggested tying Merlin up to keep him from running back to the castle on his own. Lancelot and Gwaine had considered it, but they knew Merlin would be able to break free, and his anger at being restrained would only make him even more likely to storm the castle on his own. But with Leon they actually stood a chance.

Merlin had been incredibly jumpy all morning. He had kept one hand clenched around the blue-gray stone since the sun had risen, and had his personality had done almost a 180 since yesterday, going from sullen and sulky to excited and quite loud. He had discussed the plan with everyone, glancing up at the sun every few seconds. It was nice to have him so energetic again, but Lancelot wasn't sure he had wanted this kind of energy. Merlin was acting like a general going into battle and it scared him a little. Lancelot had always believed Merlin was the perfect person to receive such awesome powers, but seeing him acting like this made him nervous. When he was like this Lancelot knew that Merlin could destroy the entire world with a flick of his wrist if he so desired.

Needless to say, Merlin wasn't the only one overly excited to get Arthur back. Lancelot jumped up as soon as Merlin declared it was time, and was quickly followed by Percival and Gwaine. Gwen and Elyan would stay at their new camp, keeping an eye on their meager belongings while the rest of them went to rescue Merlin's prince.

The walk to the lake seemed shorter today than it had two days ago. It felt as if no time had passed before they were standing before the calm lake, their reflections rippling in the sunlight. They were slightly early, Leon wasn't supposed to arrive until noon and the sun still had a ways to go before reaching its peak, but that was part of the plan. They needed time to find the perfect place to ambush the unsuspecting men. Gwaine was an expert at keeping hidden (usually from an angry husband) and quickly found the best places for them to wait and hide. Merlin and Gwaine had gone upwards, concealing themselves in the branches of the trees overhanging the path to the lake's shore while Lancelot and Percival remained on the ground, peeking out from within the thick undergrowth that covered the forest floor. They had just finished hiding themselves when the sound of approaching horses and a mental message from Merlin warned Lancelot their target was near.

* * *

Leon had so much trouble concealing his true feelings for the king over the day before he went out to meet with Merlin and rescue Arthur. He couldn't risk going back to check on the prince, as he looked suspicious enough already, but he hated leaving Arthur alone and injured in the tower. And watching the king go about his daily business as if nothing was wrong was infuriating. Leon hated that he had sworn allegiance to such a terrible tyrant, but more than that he hated that he could do nothing to protect the man he considered both leader and friend from the cruel actions of his own father. Only by avoiding Uther as much as possible and nearly destroying a training dummy was Leon able to make it through the next day.

The prospect of doing something to free Arthur made the morning pass much faster than the previous day had. Action was the perfect cure for his restless anger, and there was much to do before he could set his plan in motion. He would need to choose the men who would accompany him carefully. If he could get the strongest and most loyal out of the castle, they would stand a better chance of freeing Arthur when the time came. Of course this could also mean risking his position in the court, but at this point Leon no longer cared. Arthur was his priority; he could worry about the rest later.

It was a half an hour before noon when Leon and four of the smartest and strongest mercenaries rode out into the woods. Tricking them into believing he had found Emrys' trail but wanted to keep the glory (and ransom) for the smallest group possible had been incredibly easy. Leon had almost worried they would get to the lake too early when he saw how quickly the men rode with the prospect of gold leading them on.

When they were about five minutes ride from the lake's shore Leon grabbed the rock Arthur had entrusted him with once more. He really had no idea how it worked (besides the obvious answer of magic) but he trusted Merlin had gotten the message and knew that he was on his way.

Still, Leon couldn't help but worry he had made a mistake. If Merlin or any of his friends were caught because of his folly, Arthur would never forgive him. Hell, he would never forgive himself. But he couldn't allow Arthur to remain in that terrible room, so he had to take this risk.

Of course he shouldn't have worried. There was a reason Emrys was the most wanted man in the kingdom. Leon had just enough time to question everything before the first of the guards was thrown from his horse, as if the beast was spooked. The second man was blown backwards by a sudden gust of wind, landing heavily on the ground. Neither looked like they would be getting up any time soon. The other two mercenaries had stopped, both drawing their weapons and searching for the source of the attack as Merlin and Gwaine dropped from the trees ahead of them, Percival and Lancelot springing from the undergrowth just behind. Now both surrounded and outnumbered the remaining two mercenaries began to glance around nervously, as if looking for a way out. The glint in Merlin's eyes promised them no chance of escape, as with a sweep of his arms they were both blown backwards, flying into trees on either side of the path, each landing on the ground in two heaps of unwashed flesh and weapons.

"Ah, the knights of Camelot," Gwaine said with a smile sauntering towards Leon, "Truly a formidable foe. I'd say that took about one second per man. That may be a new record, Merlin."

"Stop joking around Gwaine." Merlin said, moving to the smallest of the four guards, who was still nearly twice his side. "Arthur's waiting for us."

Leon was surprised that Gwaine didn't reply to that. From the little he knew of the outlaw, he seemed to be constantly making jokes. His expression now was incredibly somber, showing Leon just how worried all of the thieves were. All of them were watching Merlin as if he was likely to blow up at any second. Leon gulped as he realized that their fears might have been legitimate. With such great powers, any emotional turbulence could have significant side effects for any near him. If he knew what the king had done to Arthur, he would surely forgo any plans and rush the castle himself, taking out any who got in his way. So Leon kept his mouth shut, hoping he was making the right decision as the four men stripped the unconscious mercenaries and quickly pulled on their clothes. Merlin then knelt in front of each mercenary, and with a flash of his eyes altered their memories. He had assured Leon that when they were done, the men would have no recollection of what had really happened to them, or that he had had anything to do with it. Leon was surprised the young warlock would be willing to protect his position as a knight, but he was grateful. He wanted to continue to protect the people from the inside, no matter how hard that was getting to be. With the armor of the knights of Camelot and a little help from Merlin's magic, the four of them were soon unrecognizable.

"Thank you for doing this." Lancelot (Leon was almost sure it was him, the disguise was quite good though, and even seemed to mask his voice) said. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't offered your help."

"I'm Arthur's friend." Leon replied, "I want him to be happy, just as you wish the same for Merlin. His life hasn't been as easy as many would be lead to think. There is no need to thank me, just promise that when you do get him out of there he will be happy. He's a good man, no matter who his father is."

"We know." The largest, so almost definitely Percival said, "He's proved that to us over and over again. We won't let Uther dictate his life any longer."

"And he will be happy." Merlin said. Even with his disguise he was easily distinguishable from the rest. It wasn't just his size though, his voice was so sure, and he seemed to radiate power even as the knight's clothing swamped his smaller form. "I will do everything I can to make sure of that."

"I can tell." Leon responded. "I've never seen him act the way he does around you before. You've changed him, made him his own man, not his father's. It is obvious to any who know him that you do make him happy."

"Except Uther." The man Leon was pretty certain was Gwaine grunted. "That man must be as blind as a wilddeoren not to see it, or at least as stupid as one."

Leon couldn't respond to that. He couldn't get the image of Arthur lying beaten on the floor of the tower room, barely able to pull himself into a sitting position because of Uther. Stupid was too good of a word to use to describe the king.

"We should get moving." Merlin directed, "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get Arthur out."

Leon agreed, spurring his horse into motion as they took off towards Camelot, Uther, and Arthur.

* * *

It wasn't long before Merlin spotted the gleaming white spires of Camelot's castle. It was strange to think that such a glorious kingdom could be ruled by such a cruel man. Merlin scowled as he thought of Uther, but now wasn't the time to fixate on his hatred for the man who continued to take everything from him. If he stayed focused and kept to their plan, it wouldn't be long before he at least had Arthur back.

Their first test would be getting through the gate. With Leon leading the way and their disguises keeping them hidden the pass into the city was smoother than ever before. Still, Merlin couldn't help but hold his breath as he felt the guard's gaze pass over him, Lancelot, Gwaine, and Percival, and he couldn't hold back the audible sigh that escaped his lips as they were allowed through without further inspection. No one questioned it though, so he continued riding forward through the streets of the city.

The one thing he hadn't been prepared for was the look many of the citizens were giving him. Many of the men, women, and children he had helped in the past were now watching him with fear and hatred, mothers pulling toddlers out of his gaze, and doors quickly slammed as they approached. Leon seemed to be used to it, but Merlin couldn't help but gaze around him in sadness as he was reminded again of how much these people had suffered. Soon, he promised himself, things would be different. When he made Arthur king, things would change. Together, they would fix this kingdom.

But to do that he would first need to get Arthur back. Merlin spurred his horse forward as he reminded himself how close he was to reuniting with his prince. Just ahead of them was the mighty castle where his love was waiting for him. It was strange riding up to the front doors like guests, especially as the last time Merlin had passed this way he had been in chains. Today was different though, with Leon they would be safe, no one would doubt their presence in the castle. Hoping he looked confident enough to be one of the newly appointed mercenary-knights, Merlin jumped off his horse and followed Leon into the castle. Once again Merlin had to hide his surprise as the servants and maids flinched as he passed. A few did smile at Leon though, confirming Merlin's belief that the knight who had agreed to help them really was as good as Arthur believed him to be. They didn't stop moving until Leon ushered them into a small, unused room, checking carefully to be certain no one was watching them before he did so.

"The base of the east tower is just around the corner." The knight said, gesturing in the direction they had been going before he had pulled them aside. "Two men are stationed at the bottom, and two at the top. Uther appoints them himself, so they will be loyal to him and I won't be able to convince them to move. If I am to remain in Camelot, I won't be able to accompany you any further."

Merlin nodded, saying, "I think it would be best if you kept your position here, it would be nice to know at least some of the knights still hold the people's best interests in heart."

Leon smiled at him and said, "I fear I do little good, but thank you. You should get moving, the guards increase after dark."

With that, Leon left the room empty of everything except the four disguised outlaws. Merlin was sad to see him go, he seemed a genuinely good man and probably knew more about Arthur than anyone else. But he would do more good on if he was free to wander the streets of Camelot than if he was forced to creep through the shadows, labeled as a criminal.

"Shall we be on our way then?" Gwaine asked, gesturing towards the door and shaking Merlin out of his thoughts. "We do have a princess to save."

"Don't let Arthur hear you calling him a princess." Lancelot added, with a hesitant smile. "I don't think he would appreciate that, and he has won more tournaments than anyone else in Camelot."

"Perhaps, but he's never fought me, has he? And if he doesn't want to be called a princess he should be more careful about getting locked up in towers. I think that makes him a princess by default."

"Now really isn't the time to be arguing about this." Merlin added, even though he couldn't help but smile at Gwaine's point. He would definitely be teasing Arthur about this once they got him out of the tower. Gwaine and Lancelot both nodded and sobered up immediately as Merlin took charge, reciting their plan allowed, even though they all knew it by heart. "Alright, we need to take out the guards at the bottom of the tower first. Lancelot and Gwaine will take their place and try to keep anyone else from getting in our way or getting suspicious. Percival will go up, take care of the two remaining guards, free Arthur and meet you two back at the bottom of the stairs. When we have Arthur we have to assume that the castle will be on high alert. If we stick to the hidden servant passageways Gwen told us about we should be alright, but we need to move quickly."

"We're ready, Merlin." Percival said, giving Merlin's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "We can do this, you know we can."

Merlin nodded and led the way out of the room. Leon's guidance had brought them right to the base of the tower, and just as they turned the corner they saw the two guards, stationed on either end of a narrow, curving stairway. Luckily no one else was in this part of the castle, so as Merlin whispered "Swefe nu" no one noticed the two guards crumple to the ground, both fast asleep. Gwaine and Lancelot ran to the two unconscious men, each grabbing one and hauling them off in the direction they had come, presumably back to the room they had been hiding in. Merlin and Percival took the spot of the two guards as they waited for Lancelot and Gwaine to return. It wasn't more than a minute before they were back, taking the positions assigned to them in Merlin's plan.

Merlin than ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, the prospect of Arthur waiting at the top spurring him on. He had been so distracted by the thought that he almost hadn't heard the cry of pain as he neared the top. But he did hear it, and if the expression on Percival's face was anything to go by he had as well. Someone at the top of this tower was in pain. And that could mean only one thing.

Someone was hurting Arthur.

Merlin's blood went cold as he practically flew up the remaining steps, not really hearing Percival over the pounding in his ears. The small wooden door that stood in his way at the end of the spiral staircase was no match for the power of his fury. It was less than splinters after his magic was through with it, leaving only a cloud of sawdust floating down the stairwell. It wasn't the door Merlin was angry at though, it was the man behind it. No, not the man, the _monster_ who was beating his son with some type of wooden sword. Everything froze for a moment as Merlin burst into the room, forgoing all plans of silence and stealth now that he knew Arthur was being tortured by Uther. The stillness didn't last for long though, as Merlin's rage boiled over, and his magic took control.


	28. Chapter 28: The Beast Within

**AN: so what did I say, two weeks? I was only one week off... Whoops.**

**Sorry about the long wait guys. I have been so busy. And last week was my little-hell week, so that made things a lot worse. But now all my professors are sick, so they keep cancelling classes and I have free time!**

**I probably shouldn't be celebrating people being sick, but I got to take a nap yesterday. It was glorious. But that isn't important. What is is that I've written another chapter! And we're getting close-ish to the end. I'm thinking like two to four chapters left. How crazy is that?**

**So, thanks for sticking with me! I love you all. I cannot express how much fun this has been for me, I hope it has been fun for you guys as well!**

**Also sorry to any Cenred fans. I'm kind of mean to him. Or Morgause is. One of the two.**

**And of course I don't own Merlin. There would have been so many spelling mistakes if I did.**

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Beast Within

Ever since Arthur had gotten to know Merlin, he had never imagined fearing him. But, as the door to the tower room burst inwards, stopping his father's most recent attempt to "free" him and revealing a furious Merlin, Arthur had been scared. The warlock's rage seemed a tangible thing, rushing like a tornado through the small room, Merlin's eyes burning gold in the center of it all.

Uther, for once, was speechless, and Arthur swore he could almost see fear in his father's eyes. He had dropped his wooden weapon, drawing instead his real sword as he stood ready to attack the angry warlock. The idea of the mortal king taking on Merlin in this state was ridiculous though. As if to prove Arthur's thought, with a mere flick of his wrist Merlin blew Uther back into the wall of the tower, making the whole room quake.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Merlin roared. "HE IS YOUR SON! YOU'LL NEVER LAY A HAND ON HIM AGAIN!"

Uther's sword was hovering at his neck as Merlin finished talking, hanging as a warning while Merlin glared at the king. Uther was completely helpless, and even if it hadn't been for Merlin's magic, in his current position, any movement would have gotten him impaled on his own sword. Arthur couldn't help but hope that Merlin would go through with his threat for a moment, and end his father's madness. But, he also knew that killing anyone, even someone as terrible as Uther, would change Merlin, harden him, and Arthur wanted to protect him from that. And, even through the pain, Uther was still Arthur's father, and the mere thought of Merlin killing him made him slightly sick.

But Merlin wasn't stopping. The sword moved closer and closer as the warlock controlling it stalked towards his prey. The Merlin that Arthur knew, the Merlin that wouldn't hurt a fly, was gone, replaced by this terrifying, all-powerful being. Arthur knew if Merlin didn't regain control now, Uther would die and the old Merlin would be lost forever, so the prince did the only thing he could from his bound position, screamed.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, "Stop! This isn't you; you don't have to kill him!"

The bright gold eyes were now focused on him. They seemed to soften slightly as they beheld Arthur's beaten form, still bound to the wall were his father had been pulled away from him. There was a moment of silence while Merlin studied Arthur and Uther, as if trying to come to some decision. Time seemed to freeze as he did, everyone in the room waiting to see what decision the sorcerer in the center of the room would make. Arthur held his breath, trying to catch Merlin's eyes every chance he got, hoping his love could still be reached under the mask of fury.

The fourth time Merlin's eyes met Arthur's, and Arthur tried once again to communicate his message of peace and calm that something changed. The warlock blinked slowly, golden eyes disappearing behind pale lids before revealing the deep blue eyes Arthur could get lost in. The sword clattered to the ground at Uther's feet as both it and the monarch were released from Merlin's spell. Merlin's eyes never left Arthur's as the warlock quickly made his way to the prince's side, the shackles that held Arthur falling away with a quiet spell once Merlin was close enough to catch him as he fell. Arthur tried his best to carry as much of his weight as he could, but if it hadn't been for Merlin supporting him he was certain he would have collapsed the second he was released from his position on the wall. His entire body ached from two days of his father's "treatment." He could feel the worry radiating off Merlin as the young warlock tried to keep him on his feet and maneuver him towards the door.

"I'm so sorry." Arthur heard Merlin sob, his mouth incredibly close to his ear allowing him to understand Merlin's gasped words. "I promised I would protect you. Gods, Arthur, this should never have happened."

"S'not your fault, Merlin." Arthur replied, doing his best to hide the pain from his voice. Arthur felt vaguely worried by Merlin's lack of response, but he decided to question him about it later, as Percival was now at his side, taking the majority of his weight from Merlin.

"We need to get out of here." Percival whispered, as Arthur he guided them towards the gap where there had once been a door. Their progress was incredibly slow as they ambled awkwardly, both Merlin and Percival trying to coddle Arthur while he tried to prove to them he could take care of himself (when maybe, although he would never admit it, he really couldn't). They had almost made it to the exit, when Uther suddenly blocked their path, the two guards he had brought with him standing nervously behind him.

"You are not leaving alive, Emrys!" Uther shouted, waving his sword in Merlin's direction. "And Arthur, listen to me!" Uther begged, his gaze shifting while his sword remained pointed in Merlin's direction. "This is your home! Spell or not, you can't abandon Camelot like this!"

"I'm not abandoning Camelot." Arthur replied, hoping that Merlin had a plan to get them out of here, "I will never abandon my kingdom, but neither will I serve a king who doesn't hold the true interests of the people in his heart. Until you become the king our people deserve, I will not stand by your side."

Arthur flinched as his father roared in fury, charging towards them with his sword held aloft. He hated being too weak to defend himself, but in the end he didn't need to worry. Uther had frozen mere feet in front of them, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as he struggled to move forwards. Arthur didn't need to turn his head to know Merlin was behind his father's sudden stop, but he did as Merlin began to speak.

"I could kill you." He said, causing a chill to run down Arthur's spin. "It would be easy, probably almost as easy as it has been for you to order the deaths of thousands of innocent people. Just a quick spell can end the lives of kings and peasants. But I won't. Because I was taught that my power was given to me to protect others, not to harm those who stand in my way. No matter what you think, magic can be used for good. It can be a powerful weapon, there is no denying that, but it can also be a powerful tool for peace and protection. I am sorry that you have suffered at the hands of magic users, but that does not give you the right to hunt us down! Arthur has seen past your hatred, and he chooses to side with his people. Torturing him will not make him into the son you want! Pain can only create more pain, hatred more hatred, all that can reunite you now is understanding and acceptance. I was born to protect Arthur, not only from the magic users who would use their powers for revenge, but also from you and your all-consuming hatred. So I will be leaving here, alive, with Arthur, no matter how much you shout and who you order to stop me. And I will not kill you, even though I could, even though you've destroyed so many of my friends and family, because I know that killing will never fix this kingdom."

Arthur was pretty sure he hadn't breathed through Merlin's entire speech. Rage, power, and pity were streaming from Merlin. Uther was still frozen, unable to reply as Merlin's magic kept him still and silent, until, with a flick of his wrist, Uther stumbled forward, his sword flying across the room. While the king lunged after the sword Merlin lead them forward, pushing the guards aside with a wave of his hand, followed by a mighty gust of wind. Once the three outlaws were out of the tower room, Merlin turned back, and whispered _"Aligodi," _and with a flash of gold from his eyes, the sawdust that had been a door slowly knit itself back together, blocking the enraged Uther right as he lunged again. By the heavy thump that followed, Arthur surmised Uther must have crashed into the remade door. He smirked as the image of the furious king plastered against the door formed in his head. He was quickly pulled from his thoughts as the thumping started again, and Merlin said, "That door won't hold for long, we need to move."

Both Percival and Arthur nodded, taking off after Merlin down the stairs. Percival was still supporting Arthur, as the staircase was too narrow for all of them to fit across it side by side.

When they reached the bottom they were greeted by a very nervous Lancelot and Gwaine.

"What the hell happened up there?" Gwaine hissed. "We had to knock out way to many people coming to ask about that huge explosion, weren't we trying to keep a low profile? And what happened to Arthur?"

"Uther's up there." Merlin replied quickly. "We'll explain the rest later, for now we really need to get out of here."

As Merlin finished speaking there was a crash from above them, alerting them to Uther's success in breaking down the newly remade door. The group was frozen in fear for a moment as the crashing got closer, followed by the inevitable call for guards as Uther approached. It was Percival's shout of "RUN!" that eventually snapped them all out of their stunned stupor, sending them crashing down the hallways.

Arthur couldn't help but think that things were going rather poorly as they doubled-back down another hallway, trying to avoid the large group of guards they had spotted marching down the path ahead of them, cutting off their best path off. Every pathway they turned down seemed filled with guards, trapping them in the maze of the castle. Arthur felt rather useless draped over Percival's shoulder, still weaponless, as they dashed through the few remaining empty hallways of his old home. He tried his best to direct them down little-used pathways that could still lead them to freedom, but even the least-travelled paths were swarming with Uther's men. Arthur was about to suggest Merlin blast a hole in one of the walls and turn them all into butterflies so they could fly away, when they ran into a very familiar knight.

"Leon!" Arthur exclaimed, happy to see his friend was alone.

"Arthur! I thought you might come this way. I've brought you your things, but I'm not sure how you can get out of here. Uther's got every exit blocked and there are archers on all the walls. He's not taking any chances this time, and neither are the men. Their afraid of what he will do if they fail." Leon said quickly, handing Arthur his sword. Merlin seemed rather fixated on the weapon as it was passed from Leon to Arthur, and Percival helped him secure it and his belt back around his waist. And instead of questioning Leon more about the defenses they needed to get through with Lancelot, Merlin asked him, "Is that the sword you used to break Aredian's collar?"

"Yes." Arthur replied, still confused at why this is important. "The dragon under the castle made it for me."

The grin that spread across Merlin's face was not very assuring. It was clear the young warlock had a plan, but Arthur knew he wasn't going to like it. It didn't make him feel any better when Merlin turned back to Leon and asked, "How well guarded are the dungeons?"

"The dungeons?" Leon asked, sounding completely nonplussed. Lancelot, Gwaine, and Percival had expressions Arthur was guessing were rather similar to his. They all wanted to get out of there, but was the dragon really necessary? The beast was rather terrifying, and obviously wasn't the best at escaping Uther's clutches if his current predicament taught them anything. Merlin was rather fixated on this idea though, as he nodded, saying, "Yes, the dungeons! How well guarded are the dungeons!"

"Well, after last time, Uther's gotten a little bit more careful about the prisoners, so there is an extra guard there, but the path down to them is probably less-manned than most of the other pathways through the castle as the way out through the dungeon's has been blocked off after your last little escape plot. It is in the opposite direction you need to be going though, are you sure you want to be going down there?"

"Yes." Merlin replied, the manic grin still on his face. "I promised Kilgarrah I would set him free. I think it's about time I fulfilled that promise."

"Whose Kilgarrah?" Leon asked, "I don't think there are too many people down in the dungeons at this point, are you sure he isn't somewhere else?"

"Kilgarrah's definitely in the dungeons, as he has been for the past twenty years. He is also known as the Great Dragon, and I believe he is our key out of here."

"Are you sure Merlin?" Arthur asked, still pretty certain this was a terrible plan. "How do you know the dragon won't just burn us to a crisp the second he gets a chance?"

"His name is Kilgarrah, and he won't. I'm the last dragonlord, remember? He can't hurt me, and he promised he wouldn't hurt any of the people of this land. That was the deal we made the first time I spoke with him. He's our only chance of getting out of here now."

"Sounds exciting." Gwaine said with a grin, "Can't say I've ever met a dragon before."

"And no matter how many men Uther has, it would be hard for them to deal with a full grown dragon." Lancelot mused.

"You do realize this is a DRAGON you're talking about, right?" Arthur said, still a bit scandalized by this idea. "A giant, man-eating, fire-breathing dragon, who could probably slice us in half with one claw? What are we going to do, ask him for a lift and then pray he isn't hungry after twenty years of imprisonment?"

"Kilgarrah won't eat us." Merlin said, as if the mere idea was completely ludicrous. "All he really wants is freedom. We can at least give him that. I'm not letting Uther keep him prisoner here any longer."

"Merlin's right, Arthur." Percival said, making Arthur question the man who almost always served as the group's voice of reason. "We won't get out of here unscathed without some type of help at this point. The dragon, sorry, Kilgarrah is our only option."

Arthur huffed, and shifted slightly in his position leaning against Percival. He didn't like this idea, but what Percival said did make some sense. And if going a little out of his comfort zone got Merlin to safety, it would be more than worth it. "Alright." Arthur finally said, replying to Merlin's enthusiastic smile with a hesitant smile of his own.

"Wait a moment," Leon said, stopping them from running off towards the dungeons. "Are you lot really going to set a dragon free to get out of here? Are you sure that's a good plan?"

"Leon, it's our only shot." Arthur said, "I need you to try to get as many of the servants out of the castle and back home as possible. Merlin can keep the dragon from purposefully killing people, but we don't know what will happen when the beast breaks free. I don't want any innocents hurt in any destruction he accidently creates."

Arthur hoped Merlin would understand his fear for his people. He trusted Merlin, so if Merlin thought the dragon wouldn't hurt anyone, than he would trust Merlin was right. But who knew what would happen when the giant creature tore its way out of the dungeons and into the light. It seemed he did as he smiled proudly at Arthur, and nodded in agreement to his plan. Leon was still staring at them as if they were insane, but he eventually seemed to get over it, shaking his head slightly and saying, "I'll do my best, Arthur. Just be careful."

"Thank you, Leon." Merlin said with a smile. "We wouldn't have been able to manage any of this without you. I hope someday soon we will meet again."

"Maybe the next time I see you we will on the same side for once." Leon added with a sigh. "Good luck, and keep my prince safe until then. And Arthur, I kept this safe for you as well."

With that, Leon reached around his neck, pulling off the blue-grey stone that Merlin had given Arthur. Arthur wanted to snatch it back, keeping his first gift from Merlin close to his heart, but instead he said, "Keep it for me for a little bit longer. This way you can still contact us if Camelot is ever in danger."

"I will carry it with me until the day you return." Leon said, putting the cord back around his neck. "We will all be waiting for you here."

With that Leon ran off, leaving Arthur once more amazed by the loyalty of his oldest friend and most trusted knight. He didn't have long to dwell on Leon's loyalty before he was being dragged off towards the dungeons by Percival.

Leon had been right. The path down to the dungeons was much less guarded than the other hallways. It took them longer than it probably should have to get down to the caves beneath the castle, but they were able to do so without being detected by anyone but the prison guards (who Merlin had knocked out quite quickly). Arthur had felt his worry multiply as they made their way down the steps into the caverns beneath the castle, but he trusted Merlin, and he knew the warlock knew what he was doing.

When they reached the mouth of the great cavern that Arthur had only ventured into once before, Merlin shouted out "KILGARRAH!" and the sound of rushing winds told them the dragon was approaching quickly.

"You have returned, young warlock." The dragon said, with what Arthur almost thought was a smile. "Does this mean you have fulfilled your destiny?"

Arthur wanted to hide behind Percival as the golden eyes turned to him. He felt ashamed of his current broken state, as if he had failed the great beast in achieving all that he was supposed to.

"Not quite." Merlin replied, drawing the dragon's attention away from Arthur. "But I've decided to move things up a bit. How do you feel about taking us for a little flight?"

"I am not a horse, young warlock. But if you mean to set me free I will do you this one favor."

"I will, if you swear to honor our deal." Merlin said, taking Excalibur from Arthur. "After you take us away from here, you won't use your freedom for revenge. Do I have your word?"

"I swear on the honor of my noble race that I will not harm my captor or his people. Is that good enough for you?" The dragon asked, raising his paw in a gesture that almost reminded Arthur of a salute.

"That is." Merlin replied with a nod. "Now, let's get out of here!"

Arthur had flinched as the dragon flew to the edge of their small ledge, sticking his leg out so Merlin could cut him free of his chains. Excalibur sliced through the chains as if they were parchment, sending them clattering to the ground and freeing the beast.

Merlin jumped on the dragon's back first, looking completely comfortable on the man-eating beast. When he motioned for Arthur to climb on behind him, Arthur felt his blood run cold. He trusted Merlin, and he had done many things that were outside of his comfort zone for the warlock, but riding a dragon was pushing it. What if this was all some sort of trap, and once they were in the air the creature dropped them? What if it decided that destiny didn't matter, and it decided to eat them? Merlin noticed his hesitance and said, "Arthur, it will be fine. I'm a dragonlord, remember? Kilgarrah couldn't hurt us, even if he wanted to. I wouldn't let him. I promised I would keep you safe, so I wouldn't do this unless I was perfectly certain nothing bad was going to happen. We'll all be with you the entire way."

Arthur gulped, doing his best to suppress his worries as he climbed on behind Merlin, Percival going with him and keeping him stable as he scooted his way across the golden scales of the beast. Gwaine and Lancelot also seemed a bit worried about this whole encounter, but they joined Percival, Merlin and Arthur on the dragon's back quickly.

Once they were all on, secured within the comforting hold of Merlin's magic, the dragon took off. Arthur could just barely make out the small glimmer of light they were flying towards, but the dragon obviously knew where he was going. The light grew larger until suddenly, it surrounded them, burning Arthur's eyes for a moment as he tried to adjust to the rapid change in brightness. The sound of screams quickly brought him back to his senses. They had come out one corner of the castle, the dragon ripping through the grating that had always covered the strange gap in the castle wall. When Arthur regained his vision they were already high enough that the screams had faded slightly, and the people looked like toys way below them. He could just make out the uniforms of the knights amidst the sea of panicking people, but the dragon seemed set on getting away from the city as quickly as possible, so Uther's men didn't even get a chance to fire their crossbows before they were gone, soaring over the forests.

* * *

_Meanwhile, at the castle in Essetir_

Morgause paced back and forth. She was tired of 'serving' King Cenred, but he had an army, and was easy enough to manipulate, so she supposed it would be worth it for her to remain a little longer. She was so close to her goal, she could almost taste it! They had the rowan staff, and a spy in Camelot, now all she had to do was convince Cenred to send his army, and Uther would be defeated!

"But Morgause," Cenred whined, causing Morgause to roll her eyes. "Camelot is impenetrable. No one has ever broken through the gate. How can you be so certain we will succeed?"

"I've explained this before Cenred. Camelot may be strong, but with the loss of their golden prince, Uther's hold over the people has weakened. And when we are prepared to fight, my spy will plant the rowan staff, and the dead will rise to join our cause. Not even the army of Camelot can fight a war on two fronts. And don't you want to succeed, for me?"

Morgause gagged a bit as she fluttered her eyelashes at the leather-clad king. Luckily for her, he was much too thick to notice her revulsion, if his cocky grin was anything to go by.

"Of course I do. You will make a lovely queen, Morgause. I'm certain Camelot will benefit greatly for the change." Cenred said, attempting to slip an arm around her waist, but missing as Morgause pivoted quickly, resuming her pacing. Not long now, she thought. A few weeks and Cenred's, no, her army would be ready to march. Uther Pendragon's days were numbered.


	29. Chapter 29: Disinherited

**AN: Hey guys! sorry about the really long gap between chapters. This semester is really crazy. **

**But, for the next week and a half I am free! Ok, there's a bit of homework and stuff, but still. I will hopefully write another chapter before I head back to school. Which means we will be almost done with this beast!**

**Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me this far, especially everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or alerted, you are all fabulous!**

**And, seeing as its rather over, I don't own Merlin, and never will**

**ps (3/14/13)... if this says there's a new chapter, there isn't. I just fixed a rather bad mistake on this chapter. I'm so sorry if I disappointed anyone :(**

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Disinherited

Flying was strange. Arthur much preferred horseback. But, as long as he clung to Merlin and didn't focus on the fact that his life was currently in the claws of the large beast it wasn't completely terrible. Watching the ground speed past underneath them was rather beautiful, and he was glad to finally be free from his father. But, falling from a horse probably woudn't kill him. From this height, even if the dragon didn't choose to light him on fire, falling would be certain death. Now, Arthur wasn't afraid, per say, but uncomfortable would probably be a good word for it. Even without his many injuries, the scales were hard and pointy, and the beast's back was much too broad to straddle comfortably. Merlin seemed happy though, which was something. Every time he glanced back at Arthur (which was quite often) there was a broad grin across his face while the wind whipped through his hair.

Merlin must have been communicating without speaking with the dragon somehow during the trip as the dragon suddenly changed direction, bringing them down right outside the druid camp. Gwaine and Lancelot seemed about as excited to get off as Arthur was, looking rather queasy as they slid of the beast's back and onto solid ground. Percival was only slightly steadier as he assisted Arthur, but Merlin was practically glowing as he went to thank the dragon before it took off once again. The small clearing they had landed in filled with wind briefly as the dragon flew away, leaving Arthur, Merlin, Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot alone in the woods. Merlin was at Arthur's side as soon as the wind died down, helping Percival support him while his injured body attempted to stay upright and steady.

"How are you?" Merlin asked, looking Arthur over carefully. "I mean, I know you're not alright, but the flight didn't make anything worse did they?"

"I'm fine." Arthur huffed, "But I don't think I'm looking forward to going flying again."

"It's not far to Iseldir's camp from here. They'll take care of you there." Merlin said, leading him into the woods. Percival stayed by his side as well, lending his strength as they pushed through the trees. Merlin had one hand around his shoulder and the other holding his right hand while they made the final part of their journey through the trees and towards the camp. It wasn't long before they were met by a few of Merlin's fans, as six small children ran out of the trees and towards them, all shouting out "Emrys!" as they approached.

Merlin left Arthur's side, making him frown slightly as the slender hand slipped out of his, even if he knew it was just another way Merlin was making sure Arthur was safe. And, when the children barreled into Merlin, knocking him backwards, Arthur had to admit it was probably best Merlin had moved away from his side, as his injuries might not have held up to the kids' attack. As soon as the kids had gotten off of Merlin's chest, almost as if they sensed his stress, Merlin sat up and said, "Will you guys go run and get Iseldir? Tell him to alert the healers as well. Arthur's been hurt."

All of the kids turned to look at Arthur as he said this, taking in his battered form. Arthur couldn't stop the blush that spread across his checks as a small, blond girl asked Merlin "Have you tried kissing him better?"

Merlin looked at Arthur and winked, before turning back to the little girl and saying in a mock serious tone, "Now that you mention it, I'm not sure I have." He then stood up and made his way back to Arthur, the group of kids following at his heals. When he had returned to Arthur's side, he reached a pale hand up to Arthur's check, and Arthur saw his eyes glow gold for a moment before they closed, and their lips met. He could feel Merlin's magic flow over him as they kissed, and Arthur felt a few of his smaller cuts and bruises heal, and he felt so much better than he had since the night in the woods when Percival pulled Merlin away from him. Even though many of his larger wounds were still untreated, just being back in Merlin's arms was much more comforting than he could ever have imagined. As long as he was with Merlin he would be protected by a force more powerful than he could possibly understand.

But, even with the magic of Merlin's kiss, he was still not in the best shape. Merlin watched him with the scrutiny only Merlin seemed able to manage as he pulled back. He could clearly tell that Arthur was still quite uncomfortable as he turned back to the kids and said, "I think we're still going to need Iseldir. Will you guys go get him?"

The group of kids nodded and ran off as soon as Merlin gave the instruction. Arthur gladly accepted the now child-free Merlin back to his side, supporting him once more as they continued their slow journey to the camp. It wasn't long before the kids returned, leading Iseldir, Morgana, and a few other worried villagers with them. Arthur was quickly surrounded by druid healers, all fussing over him as they continued to move as a group back towards the village. He could tell that Morgana was trying to get to him to see if he was alright, but the swarm of trained healers was keeping her from reaching him.

The group of people had completely blocked his view of where they were, so when he was guided through the door of one of the small huts he was incredibly relieved. Finally he would sleep in a real bed, get real food, and be able to completely let down his guard. He wouldn't have to keep alert to every small noise in order to make sure that he wasn't about to be attacked by his father or one of his paid accomplices. Here all he had to worry about were energetic kids and overly-concerned adults as he rested and recovered. As Merlin guided him back to the bed, he knew that everything was going to be perfectly fine.

* * *

The castle was in shambles. Leon didn't know what to do. It was three days since Arthur had escaped and Uther stilled hadn't come out of his chambers. A few servants had been admitted with food, and had all left in tears followed by the screams of the angry tyrant.

And then there was the hole the dragon had left when it had broken free. Luckily, no one had been hurt, but there was still a large amount of debris left scattered around the entrance to the cave. Leon had ordered the few knights who would still listen to him to help clear some of the most possibly dangerous boulders out of the public's way, but there was little he could do without the consent of the king and his tight control over the budget.

Luckily, Uther had finally decided to come out of his chambers, announcing, through a quite terrified servant, that there was to be a council chamber that afternoon. Although he was glad the king had decided to retake his post, Leon was rather dreading what he would decide, and the morning before the meeting passed much too quickly for him. It wasn't long before he was dragging himself off of the training field and towards the council chambers.

The king wasn't there when Leon arrived. In fact, the king was the only one not there when Leon arrived. But it wasn't long before the doors swung open and Uther entered, dark cloak blown out behind him as he quickly made his way to the throne at the head of the long table. The room was deathly silent until Uther's booming voice filled the chamber as he shouted, "Prince Arthur is dead."

"What!" Leon cried out in surprise, quickly joined by about three-quarters of the council. Uther just glared at the lot of them until the room was finally quieted.

"Emrys' attack a few days ago ended his life. This means Camelot is left without an heir. The kingdom has never been weaker than it is now. Emrys' constant attacks on our land have taken more than I could ever have imagined. We must stay united as we move forward into an uncertain future. If we remain strong through this, we will know that we can survive anything."

There was a brief pause for some scattered applause before Gaius cleared his throat and said, "But Sire, how do you know the prince is dead? I was not aware a body had been found?"

Uther glared at the elderly physician for a moment before saying "My son is dead. Ever since the day that he chose that criminal over me he has been dead."

"So you no longer believe he was under a spell?" Gaius asked, earning another glare from the king.

"If he were under a spell I believe the past few days he was with me would have freed him. I can no longer believe it was only Emrys' magic that corrupted him. He has proved that the circumstances of his birth had a larger effect on him than I believed."

The circumstances of his birth? What did that mean? Leon didn't seem to be the only one confused. Most of the younger council members shared his lost expression, while Gaius and some of the other older council members looked guilty while the rest were nodding in agreement. Even though he was now looking rather sick and had been suffering Uther's glare for most of the council meeting so far, Gaius continued in his questions, asking, "So Arthur isn't dead?"

"To me he is." Uther said. "I want no more discussion of this. Arthur is gone, he is no longer of our concern."

"But the process of choosing a new heir is, and if Arthur is still alive he will obviously contest this." Gaius asked, standing up and leaning over the table.

"Gaius, you may be a trusted friend, but if you continue with your questions I will have you removed from this meeting." Uther said, almost yelling at the old man. It did seem to work as Gaius sat back down, obviously still frustrated even if he was submitting to Uther's orders.

Leon wanted to show his support for the elderly physician, but he knew that his position was already precarious and he needed to stay where he was if he wanted to be in the best position to help Arthur and Merlin. So he kept his frustration hidden while the king began to speak again.

"Up to this point, we have been fighting a dragonlord without a dragon. We must also consider today that our enemy gains a powerful ally with the escape of the great dragon. We must prepare for the inevitable dragon attack on this city. In order to protect the people we will need to increase taxes and begin to build stronger defenses around the citadel."

Leon couldn't contain himself anymore at this so he stood, saying "Sire, I know that the dragon does pose a large threat, but Emrys has never threatened the people of this kingdom, and no one has died by his hands. I understand that he is working against the us, but a dragon attack could not be localized against the people he would attack. He would never attempt anything that could possibly harm the citizens of this city. I think that is something none of us can question."

"Sir Leon, I know that you were close to the prince before he left, but you cannot believe anything he has said since then. He is poison, and I do not want to be forced to let you go as I have so many others. These steps are necessary for the protection of my people, and they will be taken whether or not you agree. Emrys will wait to attack until he believes we have been lulled into a false sense of security and Arthur has healed enough to join him in an attack against us. By acting now and building a stronger defense, he will be unprepared for what we have to throw at him."

Leon nodded and bowed slightly before taking his seat once again, hoping that his brief statement wouldn't be enough to lose Uther's trust. Uther nodded at him, but Leon swore he could see just a seed of doubt in his eyes as he turned back towards the rest of the council saying, "I want a proclamation to go out around the town, Arthur has been disowned and there is now a price on his head. One thousand gold pieces, dead or alive. That, and the taxes will be going up until I am certain this city is safe from dragon attacks. I know that times have been tough on all of them, but this is for their best interests."

"And about the matter of Camelot's lack of heir?" the court librarian, Geoffrey of Monmouth asked, "How are we going to find a suitable replacement?"

"The sons of Camelot's lords will be given a chance to gain the honor of taking Arthur's place, if they can provide suitable proof of their status and strength."

"And if you are to die before an heir is chosen, Sire?" Geoffrey asked, not looking at the king.

"That will not happen, but I trust that this council will be able to go through with my plans with or without me." Uther said with a frown.

For the third time at that council meeting the man who had questioned Uther sat back down with a look of shame mixed with frustration on their face. Gaius was still glaring at Uther but he had taken a brief break to give Geoffrey an encouraging smile for attempting to make the king see sense. Leon was tried to hide his anger, but the king had crossed a line. His actions were bordering on madness. Leon spent the rest of the meeting trying to think of some way he could protect the people from this new tax instead of listening to whatever new nonsense Uther was spewing now.

* * *

It didn't take long for Arthur to recover. His father had never done anything that would really threaten his life, and he had been kept well fed and watered so the druid healers were able to deem him fully healed after less than a week of their care. Merlin hadn't left his side for a moment while he was healing, entertaining him with stories of the mischief he and Percival had caused before they departed the camp. From time to time one of the healers would join in, commenting on how much damage Merlin had caused as a child, or telling other stories Merlin would pretend to have 'forgotten,' many of which caused the young warlock's cheeks to turn a delightful shade of pink.

Morgana had also been in to visit quite a few times, showing Arthur her developing magic and ranting on and on about how much she wanted to kill Uther. Merlin would watch her with troubled eyes when she brought up the king, but he never tried to stop her.

When he had been deemed healthy enough to start retraining his muscles, Merlin would take Arthur on walks around the village. Of course, having Merlin with him meant that Arthur could barely get ten feet from the tent before they were surrounded by enamored druids, grateful magic users, and excited children. This made it rather difficult for Arthur to get his required amount of exercise, and he had to admit, even if it did mean he had to leave Morgana and the small cot the village offered, he was glad when he was allowed to leave.

Gwaine and Lancelot had left the day after they arrived, going back to the outlaw camp to alert Elyan and Gwen of the success of their mission, leaving Arthur surrounded by people who had spent a large part of their life in the village. And, although all the people there were incredibly kind (at times even too kind), Arthur couldn't help but feel out of place. With Gwaine and Lancelot there, he at least had others who could admit to less saintly pasts, but now he was alone in a sea of goodness, and he couldn't help but long for the freedom the woods provided.

So, he was happy when Merlin promised the healers that he could handle the rest of Arthur's injuries and had lead him out of the village. As always, the druids were incredibly sad to see Merlin go, but Merlin looked relieved to be out.

They had just made it through the Valley of the Fallen Kings when Gwaine ran up from behind them, saying, "Uther's increased taxes again. Apparently he's planning on constructing some new defenses now that his pet dragon's free."

Arthur felt his blood boil. The people couldn't stand to lose more than they already were. Before he could express his frustration, Lancelot ran up beside Gwaine, saying, "That's not all. Uther's officially disowned you, Arthur. There's now a price on your head, just like the rest of us. One thousand, dead or alive. It seems he's given up on getting you back."

Arthur's jaw dropped. He was no longer the prince of Camelot? He felt Merlin's hand squeeze his own as the warlock asked, "But what does that mean for the future of Camelot? Has Uther decided who will rule after him?"

"That's the best bit." Gwaine said with a grin. "Uther hasn't named anyone yet. All he's done is summon the sons of the richest men in Camelot. The first one's supposed to arrive tomorrow."

Arthur didn't exactly understand why Gwaine thought that was such a good thing, but Merlin must have caught on as he smiled and said, "So, some wealthy, pompous brat is going to be riding into Camelot tomorrow? We must be certain he gets a proper welcome to the city."

Realization dawned on Arthur as he understood now why Gwaine was so excited about Uther looking for his replacement. Remembering what Merlin had told him the first time they met, he said, "I'm sure if he really is worthy of being prince, he won't mind giving a small donation to the people of Camelot."

"Our thoughts exactly." Lancelot said with a smile. "We've found out which route he'll be taking. All we have to do now is stop him."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Arthur asked, glad to be back, helping the people who really needed it. "Let's show this prince wanna-be just what he's getting into!"

"Yes, but first we need to check your injuries and get you fed and rested." Merlin said, poking Arthur's side. "This noble won't be here till tomorrow, and you've still got some healing to do."

Arthur sighed dramatically, but allowed Merlin to lead him up to a small cave where Guinevere and Elyan were waiting for them. As he settled against Merlin and they began planning their attack, Arthur realized just how much Merlin had changed his life, and how glad he was that Merlin had.

* * *

Leon could barely keep from laughing when the first young noble showed up, almost completely naked and lacking the gift his father had sent him with. The only thing he had (besides the silk small clothes he had been left with) were a couple of notes that he had handed over to the furious king. The first, of course, was from Emrys and had told Uther exactly what Leon had tried to say, that the dragon would never attack Camelot and that Uther should not waist his money on protecting the city from a non-existent threat. The note ended with a promise that the wealth stolen from the young boy would be given to the sick and starving people of the lower town. The other not was from Arthur, and made things much worse, as it said he still believed himself to be next in line to the throne, and that no matter what Uther decreed, he would take the crown whenever Uther felt ready to give it up, which, according to the letter, should be rather soon if Uther didn't want a full scale revolution on his hands.

Uther did not find these letters nearly as funny as Leon did, if the amount he was shaking was anything to go by. But, Arthur was right. The people were angry, and revolution wasn't as ridiculous a notion as it might have been a few years ago. And no matter how much Leon disagreed with Uther, he also did not want to be forced into war.

Unfortunately, it seemed revolution or not, war would be unavoidable as, if only to prove to Uther the entire world was against him, a knight burst into the throne room shouting, "Sire, the armies of Essetir have been spotted! There's not more than two day's march from Camelot!"


	30. Chapter 30: Death or Magic?

**AN: Well, I'm back at school, which means slower updates again, but we are also almost done! It has been quite the ride, but soon it will be coming to a close. Thanks so much to everyone who's stuck with me for this long!**

**And, I don't own Merlin. I'm just a normal, everyday, crazy fangirl :)**

Chapter Thirty: Death or Magic?

Camelot was in chaos. Cenred's forces might not have been much of a threat when Arthur was around, but now an attack spelled disaster. Many of the newly hired thugs, Leon didn't even want to qualify them as knights, had scampered at the first whispers of war. They had accepted to fight against a band of thieves who had barely hurt anyone, not risk their lives for a kingdom few of them cared about. So, now they were left with a dwindling army and a king who did not have the support of his people.

Leon was scared. Not of his own death, but of the suffering that the people of Camelot would go through when Cenred took over, which seemed inevitable at the moment. He didn't know much about the foreign king, but he had traveled to Essetir a few times when he was younger, and he knew the people there were not well taken care of. The hamlets far from the king's palace were constantly threatened by bandits and raiders, completely abandoned by the king they were still forced to pay tribute to. The people who lived near the palace didn't have it much better off though, as they were at the mercy of the knights and nobility, who had free reign to exert their power over whichever peasant caught their fancy. Although, the more he thought about it, they probably weren't much better off than Camelot at the moment. If only someone slightly fairer, like King Bayard or Queen Annis would invade. Then maybe he could die happy.

But it was Cenred who was attacking, and Leon couldn't let that tyrant take the throne. He had to do something, even if it did mean risking his position in the court. Squaring his shoulders and preparing to face the furious king, Leon stood up, interrupting the befuddled war council and said, "We can't win this battle alone. We need help."

Uther just rolled his eyes as one of the older councilors said, "All our allies are too far away. Had we noticed earlier we might have been able to contact Mercia or Nemeth, but as it is we are alone. No one will be able to get troops to us before Cenred's forces march on our castle."

"Not from another kingdom." Leon said, earning the interest of quite a few people who had been busily staring at maps and numbers instead of listening to him. "We need Arthur back. We need Emrys."

"Don't you dare speak either of those names in this court, Leon." Uther growled. "Now, unless you have any other insight on how _our army_ can win this war, I suggest you leave."

"I'm sorry Sire, but I am almost certain that _our army_ is incapable of winning this war. In my oath, I promised to serve and protect not only you, but also the people of Camelot. They are in my care, and their safety is my responsibility, so I can no longer remain silent as you risk their lives for your pride. Emrys is powerful. Probably more powerful than you're willing to admit. He and his men could give us the advantage we need to save our people from any further harm. If you are unwilling to admit this than I will go look for him myself, and hope that he knows of some way to protect the people from the threat Cenred poses." Leon finished, eye's never leaving Uther's all throughout his speech. He could tell everyone else in the room was staring at him, but he only had eyes for the king. And it was the king who responded.

"Are you saying you know the position of Emrys and Arthur at this very moment? That you could find them on your own, when the entire army has failed time and time again in their hunt for the thief?"

Leon paled. He wouldn't be able to get to Merlin and Arthur at all if he was locked in a dungeon the entire time. But he also had to do whatever was necessary to save the people, even if it meant risking his own safety. Mustering up all his courage, Leon looked back at the king and said, "I don't know where they are, but I do know how to find them. And they will want to help if you give them the chance!"

"How long have you known this!" Uther growled, all thoughts of the upcoming battle apparently lost from his mind.

"Since Arthur was imprisoned, but this isn't the point!" Leon said, slightly exasperated. "They want to protect the people, you need to seek their help!"

"Guards! Restrain Sir Leon, but don't take him to the dungeons yet. First he's going to lead us to the thief and his accomplices." Uther ordered. Leon didn't resist as his arms were yanked behind his back, but he tried not to look to nervous as he felt the metal cuff link around his wrists. He still stood tall as he replied, "I won't show you anything, unless you leave all weapons, and seek them out in peace! Don't you realize this has gone on too long! If you don't seek their help, it won't just be the people who suffer, Cenred will kill you. It might be time to think about what would be worse, asking Emrys for help, or dying at the hands of a foreign king."

This did seem to make Uther pause. Leon grinned triumphantly as Uther turned away from the table, clearly still thinking of Leon's final statement. As the group waited for Uther to come to a decision, Gaius stood up and glanced around the table, before giving Leon a quick smile and saying, "Sire, I must agree with Sir Leon. Our army is weak, our people are angry, and our city will be easy for Cenred to take, unless we set aside our pride and parlay with Emrys. Emrys has stated time and time again that his main priority is the safety of the people. He does not seek power, nor your humiliation, only safety for those he cares about. If Leon has the means to contact him, we must do so in a peaceful manner. If we do this, and send messengers to the dismissed knights, we may stand a chance. But, if your pride blinds you to the truth, Cenred won't hesitate to put a sword in your stomach. With this mounting threat we must seek out help from whomever is willing to give it. It truly is Emrys or death, Sire, whether you like it or not."

Uther remained facing away from the table throughout all of Gaius's speech, but the way his shoulders slumped proved to Leon that he was considering what he and Gaius had said, which was more than he could have hoped for. Most of the elder councilors were friends of Gaius' and seemed to have decided to side with him, nodding in agreement to the old physician's statement, while many of the younger men looked up to either Leon or Gaius, and were smiling at the two of them while they knew Uther wouldn't see. None of them quite had the courage Leon or Gaius did though, so the room remained silent until Uther finally turned back towards them looking much calmer than he had appeared when he had first turned his back on them.

"Fine." Uther said, scowling all the while. "Sir Leon will take an unarmed group of knights and council members to meet with Emrys and Arthur. If they agree to help us they will be escorted back here, where they will be watched at all times. After the attack, they will be allowed to leave the city without any harm befalling them. While we speak with Emrys and his allies, messengers will also be sent to any of the former knights of Camelot who are still close enough to contact. They will be alerted to my alliance with Arthur and the thief, and told that they have been requested to return to my service."

Leon smiled as the guards undid his binds, rubbing his wrists as soon as they were free. He bowed to Uther, hoping to portray his gratitude before saying, "I'd like to ride out as soon as possible, whomever is coming with me should be saddled up and ready to ride into the woods in one hour."

"I'd like to volunteer myself as a representative of the council." Gaius said quickly, standing next to Leon. They were soon joined by a few more of the council members, some of which Leon was surprised would be able to ride horseback at their age, and a group of the younger knights who had idolized Arthur but somehow remained under Uther during his many cuts. When their troop had been officially approved, Uther dismissed the court, looking both angry, nervous, and something that made Leon slightly worried about his actions, but this was his only option. If he wanted to save the people, he needed Merlin.

* * *

Merlin was lying on his back, next to Arthur, staring up at the clouds when he felt the stone pulse twice. His forehead creased in confusion as he looked over at Arthur, who was still staring up, completely unawares to Merlin's sudden change. Then he remembered. Arthur didn't have the other stone anymore, Leon did. But why would the knight want to see them? What could have happened in the few hours since they had been in the city that would require their help? Merlin sat up, trying to hide his worry from Arthur.

Of course, Arthur had gotten to know Merlin pretty well over the past months, so he was sitting up by his side in a second, asking "What's wrong?"

Merlin gave him a weak smile and said, "It's Leon, he wants us to go to the lake."

"Already?" Arthur asked. "I figured it would have taken him a little longer to turn to us."

"That's what I thought. Nothing seemed all that strange when we left."

"Well, Leon's a good man. He wouldn't call us for no reason. And as far as we know Uther has no reason to even suspect him. We should go see what he wants."

"You really trust him, don't you?" Merlin said. It wasn't really a question, but Merlin couldn't help but ask. Trusting a knight still made him slightly nervous, even if this knight had helped them save Arthur. Somehow he had trusted Arthur much faster than he trusted Leon, but that might have had something to do with the whole falling in love thing. Still, Arthur was usually much more cautious, for him to be so certain of Leon was different, and it made Merlin want to know more about the man.

"Yes. He's one of my oldest friends, and one of the few knights who was honest with me. Growing up, everyone wanted to be my friend, but it was always because their parents told them to, or because they wanted some part of my power. They would be nice to me when I was around, but behind my back they would scheme and plot. Leon, well, Leon was never like that. He always stood up for me when the others would make fun of me behind my back. And we trained to be knights together. He kept me honest and good when I slipped and became the bratty, spoiled prince I could have been. He's the best man I know, and if he's betrayed us than we don't stand a chance." Arthur replied, staring off into the distance as he spoke. It was always so interesting when Arthur spoke about his past. Never before had Merlin considered the difficulties of being nobility. He had grown up hating them for taking everything from him; he had never thought what it might have been like for the young prince growing up just like him, without a mother, surrounded by people who saw him as somehow better than them because of who he was. It was crazy how similar their lives were, in some strange way. The way Arthur described Leon reminded Merlin of Percival, and how nice it had been to have at least one friend who was friends with you because of who you really were, not because of any title you had been born with. With a new respect for Leon, Merlin stood up and said, "Well, we better go see what he has to tell us. Can't leave such a good friend waiting now, can we?"

Arthur smiled and nodded, standing next to Merlin. "Of course not. Can you let the other's know?"

Merlin nodded, focusing on his connection to Lancelot, Gwaine, and Percival, telling them quickly to start heading towards the lake. Lancelot was usually with Gwen and Elyan was usually with Percival, so hopefully they would bring their newest members along with them as well. Once he was certain they had heard, Merlin turned back to Arthur and said, "They should be heading there now, and they'll wait until we get there to do anything, though. Let's go."

Arthur nodded and grabbed Merlin's hand before taking off into the woods, pulling Merlin along behind him.

* * *

Arthur hadn't expected the crowd that was waiting for them at the shore of the lake. He recognized all of them as knights and council members, with Sir Leon standing in the center. Merlin had pulled Arthur behind a large tree the second he had spotted the large group waiting for them, clearly thinking that this was some sort of ambush. But that didn't quite make sense. If Uther wanted to ambush them, why would he have sent so many of the older council members? And what the hell was Gaius doing with them? The more Arthur looked, the more he realized that all the men waiting for them at the bank of the lake would be the most likely to still be loyal to him. And if Leon had led them here, which seemed likely as he wasn't being restrained in any way, and was looking around expectantly, then they must be fine. The rest of their troop had joined them in hiding, crouching among the underbrush as they watched the strange group that was waiting for them. But sitting here wasn't doing anything. So Arthur decided to act. Whispering to Merlin, "Wait here," Arthur slipped from Merlin's grip and walked boldly out of their hiding spot and towards the waiting men.

The chorus of "Sire!"s and "Arthur!"s that rang from the group confirmed Arthur's suspicions. These men weren't here to hurt him. And if this was some sort of trap, they would have warned him. These were the remaining council members and knights he could still trust. What they were doing here was still a mystery, but Arthur was certain they wouldn't hurt him or Merlin, so he turned back and called out to Merlin.

"It's fine. These men won't hurt us. You can come out now."

Merlin slowly climbed out from his hiding spot, still looking incredibly wary as he approached the men. Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot followed close behind him, all holding their weapons out as they approached, glaring at the men, as if they were daring them to attack.

"What are all you doing out here?" Arthur asked, the smile on his face turning quickly to a frown when he saw the drawn look on Leon's face. "Has something happened to Camelot?"

"We're at the brink of war." Leon said, cutting to the chase. "Cenred's army marches on Camelot. They will reach the city within two day's time at the least. Most of the newly recruited knights have fled, leaving the city undefended."

"What?" Arthur exclaimed, "Why would Cenred attack?"

"Camelot is at the weakest it's been in years." Gaius answered, stepping up beside Leon. "Ever since you left, the people have been growing more and more restless. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened."

"And what's this got to do with us?" Gwaine asked, standing next to Arthur, and slightly in front of Merlin.

"We need your help." Leon said, looking more desperate than Arthur had ever imagined possible for the noble knight. "Without you're leadership and Merlin's powers we won't be able to protect the citizens of Camelot when Cenred attacks. If you really want to help protect the people, you will help us now."

"And how does the king feel about this?" Merlin asked, stepping around Gwaine and to the head of their group.

"King Uther has decided to request a mutual truce until the war is over." Gaius responded, "He was slightly unwilling at first, but he conceded as we desperately need your help. You will be watched while you remain in Camelot, but he has promised he will not hurt any of you if you join in our fight. Cenred is a harsh king, and his army is large and desperate. I fear without your help, the city will be decimated."

"You're Gaius, right?" Merlin asked, stepping further towards the elderly physician. "You're the one who helped treat my wounds."

"Yes, Merlin. I regret I was not able to do more at the time." Gaius replied with a sad smile, slowly moving towards Merlin as if in some type of daze. "I don't know if you knew this, but I knew your parents. They were my friends, and I was devastated when I learned what Uther did to them. I thought you perished in the blaze along with them, otherwise I would have done everything in my power to help you. You're mother was one of the kindest, strongest women I have ever known, and I hope, when all this is over, I will get the chance to know you better."

"You knew my parents?" Merlin asked, his voice shaking as he took another step towards Gaius, so they were almost touching.

"Yes. And I can hardly believe that the small, happy child I held twenty years ago would have grown into such an incredible man. You're parents would be so proud."

With that, Gaius embraced Merlin, tears in both their eyes. Arthur wished they could have met under better circumstances, but now was not a time for reunions. Now was a time for action. If Camelot was in danger, it was his duty to protect it.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this reunion, but we need to decide what to do. Camelot cannot go unprotected." Arthur said, watching sadly as Merlin and Gaius broke apart, wiping their eyes.

"We will help." Merlin said, moving back to stand next to Arthur. "The people of the city are innocent, they do not deserve to reap the consequences of Uther's bad decisions."

"Merlin, are you certain about this?" Percival asked, pulling Merlin away from Arthur. Merlin looked determined though as he looked up at Percival calmly and said, "There are good people in Camelot. When we chose to become thieves, it wasn't to get revenge on Uther, it was to protect the people. If we wish to continue to uphold this goal, we will help them."

"But if Uther breaks his promise-" Lancelot began, only to be cut off by Merlin's quick reply, "I will not let him harm any of you. While he is watching us, I will also watch him. He doesn't have the power to stop me without the help of artifacts like the ones Aredian used. We cannot take on an army by ourselves though. We must take this risk if we want to protect the people."

Arthur took Merlin's hand as he turned back to the council members and knights, and proclaimed, "We will fight alongside you as long as Uther swears not to harm any of us while we fight for him, and give us safe passage from the city once the battle is over."

"Thank you." Leon said, "I know that working with the knights of Camelot must be strange for you, but we could not be more grateful. Not all who serve the king are against you. Some of us just wish to protect the people in any way we can. Now, we should get back to the city as quickly as we can. There is much to be done before the army strikes."

Arthur nodded, squeezing Merlin's hand before taking off after the horse-riding council members, back towards his first home.

* * *

To say the mood in the castle over the next few days was awkward would be an understatement. Merlin and Uther in the same room usually ended up in shouting and one of them storming from the room. The worst had occurred when Uther had commanded Merlin to summon the great dragon to fight for them and Merlin had blatantly refused, adding quite a few words Arthur had never expected to hear Merlin say. Uther had surprised Arthur with his vocabulary as well, but then neither of them could rival Gwaine when he got going. And, as Lancelot, Gwaine, Percival, and Elyan accompanied Merlin almost everywhere, constantly glaring at any of Uther's men who got too close to their smaller friend, Gwaine's wide range of curse words had been shouted quite often at any who dared to insult Merlin. Arthur tried to keep the peace between them, but this was obviously a terrible idea as he almost always ended up yelling at the king as well for some reason or another.

But there were good things about staying in Camelot. Merlin and Gaius spent every free moment together, discussing Merlin's past and Gaius' relationship with his parents. Even after a day, it was clear Gaius was starting to see Merlin as a son, and Merlin was trusting Gaius as one might a father.

Sadly, there was little time for such pleasantries now though, with Cenred's army getting closer and closer by the second. Many of the banished knights had rushed back, adding to Camelot's chances, and, of course, Merlin's help would be invaluable, but the outcome was still uncertain. The council, Merlin and his friends, Uther, and Arthur had eventually come up with a plan to defend the kingdom, and hopefully scare Cenred away before he got a chance to do any real harm. Most of this plan depended on Merlin, and the hope that when Cenred realized Camelot had resorted to seeking help from a warlock he would tuck his tail between his legs and scamper all the way back to Essetir. The attacking king was by no means known for his bravery, and although ruthless, his army was undisciplined. He was a fearful, lazy king, and the chance of him being scared away by Merlin alone was not as far-fetched as it might have sounded.

So, all that was left to do was wait, and strengthen their defenses. Arthur joined Merlin's escort as he surrounded the castle with magic barriers to prevent the enemy's arrows from raining down on their men, while others filled the reserve stores and prepared the city for the imminent attack.

When Merlin deemed the city as protected as he could keep it whilst maintaining his strength to fight, Arthur finally got the chance to say what had been on his mind since Merlin had decided to join this fight. Although Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot didn't look happy about letting Merlin out of their sight, they conceded, allowing Arthur to pull Merlin into his old chambers which had been left in the exact same state as they had been before Arthur saved Merlin.

"I wanted to say thank you." Arthur said, guiding Merlin over to the large bed. "You didn't have to say yes, but you did. I swore to protect these people, and I didn't want to have to turn my back, but for you to say yes to Uther? Well, it must not be easy. But it means a lot to me."

Merlin smiled at him and said, "You don't need to thank me, Arthur. I want to protect these people too. Even if it means spending time with Uther. Although I don't think I'll be wanting to spend much more time with him after this. If he calls me a freak one more time, well, I don't know what I'll do."

"Don't worry, if he does I'll punch him myself. After coming to you for help, he should be treaty you like royalty. Yes, after all this we should give you some sort of title! Hmm… what would we call you, Lord Merlin?"

The blush that spread across Merlin's check's made Arthur laugh. He knew Merlin didn't want any special treatment, but it was true he deserved much better than his father had offered. While he, Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, Elyan, and Guinevere had all been offered the guest chambers (not the nicest ones, but still incredibly luxurious after living in the forest for so long), Merlin had been told to find his own lodging, outside the castle. Of course the rest of them hadn't accepted that, and Merlin was currently staying with Arthur in one of the larger guest chambers, it was still incredibly rude and had continued throughout their stay in other, subtler ways. Merlin deserved to be honored and praised, even if he would hate that, not shunned and mocked for what he was born as.

"Not sure if I like that better." Merlin said, with a frown. "I think I'd rather stick with plan old Merlin, thanks."

"Alright." Arthur said with a sigh. "But I hope you know that if I ever get to be king, you are getting some sort of title. We'll make up something that suits you perfectly. And no-one will ever call you freak again."

"Thank you." Merlin whispered, kissing Arthur lightly on the check and leaning up against him. They sat in silence for a moment, just staring at the room that had been Arthur's before he met Merlin. It was nice to think that maybe, someday, they could return to this chamber permanently. Arthur would finally be able to give Merlin everything he could ever want.

The silence between them felt so calm, so comfortable, which made the jarring clangs of the warning bell even harsher than usual as they rang out across the city, announcing to all of Camelot that Cenred was here.

It was time to go to war.


	31. Chapter 31: Fighting the Dead

**AN: Hello! Is anyone still there?**

**Sorry this took so long. The end of the school year was a bit rough, but I made it through! Another year of college over and done. And, although I forgot to point this out when it actually happened, I have now been writing fanfiction for over a year! I feel so old :)**

**But, anyhoo, I should apologize more. I really shouldn't leave you hanging so long. As a prolific reader of fanfiction, I know how painful the wait can be. There will be one more chapter of this fic (can you believe it! Just one more!) before I move on. If you are at all interested in what I will be working on next, please check out my profile page, which has been updated with all my future plans. **

**Thanks to everyone who started reading while I was away! And especially thanks to everyone who came back to read more after my long absence! I hope you all enjoy!**

**And, as always, I don't own Merlin. I think I would have forced the actors to make a movie sequel if I did :)**

Chapter Thirty-One: Fighting the Dead

Merlin and Arthur ran out of Arthur's old chambers as soon as they heard the bell. For the plan to work, Merlin needed to be at the front of the battle, and Arthur definitely wasn't going to let him out of his sight. The hallways seemed strangely deserted as Arthur searched for someone to find out why they had set the warning bells off. When Arthur finally saw a guard running towards them he shouted, "What's happened?"

"The army has been spotted!" The man yelled. "You're men are waiting for you on the battlements."

Arthur nodded and continued running after Merlin, who was sprinting towards the exit of the castle. Percival, Gwaine, Lancelot, and Elyan joined them the second they made it out the doors, and quickly moved into position around Merlin. He was the key part of their plan, and if it was to work, he needed to be completely free from distractions until it the battle was over.

Cenred's army was huge. Even if Merlin's spells and the thus far un-breached citadel walls were able to hold for long enough, the enemy soldiers could easily surround the city and starve them out. As the group looked out over the sea of swarming, black-clad warriors, Arthur couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous. Growing up as prince, he had lecture after lecture about the great battles of the past, but never before had he seen just how enormous an army could be. Learning the facts and being present at a real battle were two incredibly different things. He couldn't help but think all his training was for naught. Nothing could ever have prepared him for this.

As he glanced over at Merlin, Arthur could tell he was having a similar experience. His blue eyes were huge and he looked quite disturbed by the sheer numbers he would be going against. There were still a good number of men fighting for Camelot, so Merlin wasn't completely alone, but up here on the battlements looking down over the multitude approaching made it seem like it was just them against Cenred's forces.

"Well, this is it." Merlin said simply. "I want all of you to stay safe, no matter what the cost. Kill if it is necessary. These men chose to harm the people we swore to protect, and we can't let them."

"The same goes for you, Merlin." Arthur replied, "I know you don't like hurting anyone, but if it comes down to you or them, you have to do what's necessary. You're too important to die here."

Merlin smiled weakly at Arthur before taking his hand and whispering "Stay near to me."

Arthur just nodded, as the sounds of shouts and cries were coming from the city reached them. His forehead creased in confusion. The army outside the gates hadn't been able to attack, they were still firing arrows and large stones into Merlin's barrier while others did everything they could to break down the gates, so what could be the problem inside the city? Gwaine seemed to have realized something was wrong first, as he said, "What the… Merlin, I think we've got a problem."

Arthur and Merlin turned around together, both seeing the chaos that had enveloped the lower town at the same time. The battle had begun, but it wasn't Cenred's soldiers the knights were fighting. Hundreds of skeletons filled the streets of Camelot, each armed and seemingly un-killable. Even with lost arms and even heads, they continued to climb back up and battle with the soldiers who filled the streets. Luckily, many of the citizens had evacuated or barricaded themselves indoors, so the number of dead was lower than it could have been. But the numbers of bodies in the street and retreating injured soldiers were growing at an alarming rate.

Before Arthur had a chance to comment, Merlin hissed, "Magic." and took off. His escort quickly followed him, down from the battlements and into the mess that was the lower town. With a few well aimed blasts, Merlin was able to clear a path through the skeletal figures, leading them towards the castle. The swarms of skeletons weren't dissuaded by Merlin's powerful magic though, and continued pushing towards them. Arthur swung his sword out, catching a skeleton holding a club across the chest, and, to his surprise, the creature collapsed. His brows creased in confusion as he looked around, seeing many other soldiers, including Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan, and Percival, all fighting skeletons unsuccessfully. Somehow, his attack was able to destroy the creatures while no one else could. Not even the skeletons that fell to Merlin's spells stayed down. As Arthur hit another skeleton, and it too broke apart, Arthur realized it hadn't been a fluke. Using his new-found knowledge Arthur renewed his attack with added vigor, hoping to take out as many of the undead soldiers as possible while still sticking with Merlin.

Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur saw Leon leading a charge while brandishing a flaming torch, which seemed to have about as much effect as the swords, unfortunately. But, torches could make good clubs, which might blast the skeletons to pieces better than the metal blades the rest of them held. It was good to know that Leon was, for the moment, still alive and fighting, but for how much longer Arthur didn't know. If they didn't take care of the skeletons soon, Camelot would fall to Cenred before the battle really started.

"Where are we going?" Arthur shouted to Merlin over the din of battle.

"Down!" Merlin replied, looking very focused as he continued towards the castle.

"Nothing more specific?" Arthur replied, slicing the head off a skeleton only for it to continue swinging its sword towards the group.

"Well, these skeletons have to be coming from somewhere. Is there a crypt beneath the castle?"

"Yes!" Arthur shouted, remembering when Morgana had dared him to venture into the cold, dark, catacombs beneath the castle. His father had taken it as a sign that he was interested in learning about all the past leaders of Camelot, and had forced him to remain down in the crypt overnight after listening to a seemingly endless lecture from Geoffrey about each of the dead men. Arthur couldn't help but wonder which of the previous rulers and knights he was attacking as he slashed through another skeleton before pushing his way up to Merlin.

"There are tombs in the catacombs; will you be able to stop the spell from there?"

"Hopefully, we just need to get there first." Merlin said, giving Arthur a nervous smile before sending another blast of wind to clear their path.

Once inside the castle, things got slightly better. Most of the skeletons had already made their way to the madness outside, so the passageways were clear except for the people rushing around to help bring supplies to the chambers that had been set up as a medical ward. Arthur took the lead, running through corridors that had been his home before meeting Merlin.

Arthur halted abruptly when he reached the last staircase that would take them down to the tombs under the castle. He felt a sense of foreboding mixed with the cool air blowing up from the underground chambers. Merlin stopped beside him, his expression showing Arthur that he felt the same. Something wasn't right. Their silent vigil was interrupted when Gwaine came crashing into them, not able to stop quickly enough. Before they could even attempt to stop their fall, another two bodies crashed against theirs, as Percival, Elyan and Lancelot caught up as well. Merlin was just able to stop them from crashing down into the depths of the catacombs, but with the ruckus they had made there was no way whoever was down among the dead had not heard them.

They remained in their crumpled pile for a minute, waiting for their discovery, but it never came. Merlin got up first, easily untangling himself as he was not wearing armor like the rest of them. That had been something Arthur had fought with him and Uther over. Merlin thought it a waste of metal, seeing as he could protect himself, and Uther had been rather reluctant to offer the most wanted criminal in Camelot use of the royal forge, clearly hoping that the lack of armor would result in Merlin's death. Arthur had eventually relented, swearing to himself that he would insure Uther's wishes went unfulfilled. The rest of them weren't going to let Merlin go without their protection, so they quickly followed him into the darkness, even if that meant making a racket comparable to the din of the battle raging outside. Merlin turned back and glared while they scrambled over each other, trying to move to his side.

"Stay back," Merlin hissed. "Whoever's down there clearly has powerful magic. Your swords won't do much about him."

"We're not letting you go alone, Merlin." Percival stated, leaving no room for the argument Merlin clearly had all planned out.

"You can't change our minds." Lancelot said, noticing the look in Merlin's eyes that all of them recognized. Merlin never wanted to put anyone else in danger when he could risk himself instead. But that wasn't going to happen.

"You aren't getting rid of us yet, mate." Gwaine added, his usual carefree tone replaced with a steely determination Arthur had only seen a few times before. The more he got to know the man, the more he respected him.

Stepping up beside Merlin, Arthur took his hand and said, "You aren't alone, Merlin. Don't forget that."

Merlin smiled and nodded, before saying "Stay behind me though, alright? Your swords and armor won't protect you from magic."

Arthur consented, slightly unwilling, as they crept down the stairs to the lowest level of the castle. Even the dungeons and the large cavern that had held the dragon were above these dank caverns. Every noise was magnified in the still air as they stalked into the dark passageways that had been filled with the dead. Now there were stones and rocks littering their path where the skeletons had broken free, smashing their way upwards to destroy the land they had rested peacefully beneath for so many years.

But, besides their footsteps and the unavoidable clinks and clanks of armor, there was no noise. The catacombs seemed completely deserted, bereft of even the dead who had kept residence there. Merlin held out his hand and whispered "Leoht" the gold flash in his eyes much more noticeable in the pitch black hall. When he opened his hand there was a bright blue ball of light, illuminating the rubble covering the ground and, as they looked farther into the darkness, a wooden staff protruding from the stone ground. The top of the staff was broken into twisted branches supporting a glass ball that reflected the blue of Merlin's light, giving it a strange glow.

"So, what now?" Elyan asked.

"Well," Merlin said, sounding incredibly confused, "we'll need to destroy that staff. That's what the magic is coming from. That should destroy the skeletons."

"Might as well get it done with then, right?" Gwaine said, taking the first step forward and lifting his sword, Percival, Lancelot, and Elyan moving into position behind him. Merlin had hesitated, though, grabbing Arthur's hand as he tried to follow the others towards the staff. Arthur glanced at him in confusion, and was about to pull free when Merlin shouted "WAIT!" and swung his arm out, his eyes glowing gold once more. Whatever spell Merlin had cast in that second was enough to protect him and Arthur, but Gwaine, Percival, Elyan, and Lancelot were not so lucky. A gust of wind picked each of them up and threw them backwards, as if they were as light as feathers. They each landed in heaps behind Arthur and Merlin, eyes closed but Arthur was certain he could still see the slow rise and fall of each man's chest as they continued to breath. Arthur could tell Merlin wanted to go and check on them, but knew that that would only put them all in far greater danger, as, out of the darkness, the sorcerer who had cast the spell crept forward.

Merlin kept his arm outstretched and pointed towards the unknown sorcerer as the man reached the staff. As he moved into the glow provided by Merlin's ball of light, Arthur could see that he was about the same height as Lancelot, with dirty-blonde hair and pointed features. Some may have considered him handsome, but the way his face twisted in a cruel grin ruined any chance of beauty. His eyes seemed to be permanently squinting, but had a strange gleam as if he found their current predicament hilarious.

"Well if it isn't the ex-prince of Camelot and his little band of outcasts. I wasn't expecting to run into you lot down here." The sorcerer said, moving between Merlin and Arthur and the staff. "Why don't you run along and continue playing your little games in the forest. Let Morgause and I handle Uther like you should have when you had the chance."

"Who are you?" Merlin asked, moving slightly in front of Arthur, his hand still outstretched but slightly lowered.

"I am Alvarr, young thief. And I have no quarrel with you as long as you leave my plans alone. But if you stand aside it would be my pleasure to help you end the line of Pendragon once and for all."

"Arthur is not his father." Merlin replied, his voice as cold as it had been when he had rescued Arthur from Uther. "You will not harm him."

"We'll see about that won't we? _Swilte Arthur!_" Alvarr said, and Arthur had to duck as rocks began raining down on him from every direction. With Merlin's help he was able to avoid most of them, but a few still hit their target, covering Arthur in what he was certain would soon be bruises. They were able to take shelter behind a rather large and mostly undisturbed grave and Merlin whispered, "You get to the staff. Your sword should be able to take care of it. I'll distract Alvarr."

Before Arthur was able to stop him, Merlin jumped up, dashing around the tomb that had been keeping them safe. Arthur was about to follow him when he heard a large crash and saw Alvarr flying backwards into the catacombs. It wasn't long before Merlin was running after him, winds swirling around him as he continued fighting the other sorcerer. Arthur peeked over the stone tomb carefully, watching as the two men's magic raged against each other's. Even though Merlin's magic was also at work protecting the castle, there was no comparison between the two. Alvarr barely had time to cast any spells, spending most of his time blocking and dodging whatever Merlin sent his way. Merlin was obviously trying to move them away from the staff and looked as strong as ever, his eyes almost never returning to the deep blue they were normally. As the dueling magicians finally made it far enough from the staff that Arthur was certain he wouldn't be noticed, he crept forward, edging stealthily towards the source of the magic controlling the skeletal army.

Just as Arthur reached the magic staff, Alvarr shouted "No!" and slammed his hand down to the ground hissing out some enchantment that Arthur couldn't hear over the rumbling that had started deep in the earth. He was thrown back as the floor of the catacombs shifted and rolled, and stones began falling from the ceiling. He could just barely hear Merlin calling to him as he continued to fight towards the source of the skeletal army, which was getting more and more difficult with every step. The dust had almost completely obscured his view of the staff when suddenly, a warm wind blew around him, clearing his path. As he looked for the source of the wind he saw Merlin, smiling, at his side. He looked mostly unharmed, although there was a small trail of blood over his left eye and he was almost completely coated in dust.

"We need to destroy the staff before Alvarr's spell destroys the catacombs!" Merlin shouted over the din. Arthur nodded back as they pushed forward, finally reaching the staff. Arthur raised Excalibur high above his head and brought it down, splintering the wood of the staff and slicing it in two. Merlin smiled at him as the staff broke apart, before pulling Arthur back towards the stairs, keeping one hand outstretched to shield them from the falling debris. Luckily, it seemed the closer they got towards the stairs the more stable the ground and ceiling became, until the shaking had almost stopped all together. Merlin's hand let go of Arthur's as he ran over to check on Lancelot, Elyan, Gwaine, and Percival, all of whom were still slumped over near the stairs. Although there were a few fallen rocks around them, they seemed mostly unscathed. Merlin tried to wake them, but his efforts were in vain.

"We need to get them out of here!" Merlin called to Arthur, who quickly moved to his side. He was exhausted already, and by the way Merlin was looking he could tell the warlock was even more tired than he was. But they needed to get their friends to safety before they could even think of resting. "I can try to make them lighter with my magic, but if I want to keep holding up the barrier between Camelot and Cenred's army I won't be able to move them on my own."

"Alright." Arthur said, moving over to Percival's feet. "Let's get them out of here."

Merlin just nodded, grimacing slightly as he grabbed Percival's arms. With a quick flash of gold and mumbled spell the massive knight became about as heavy as a large sack of potatoes and easy enough for Arthur and Merlin to haul up to the first landing, far away from the destruction of the catacombs. They hurried back for Elyan, Gwaine and Lancelot, each one getting slightly heavier as Merlin's hold on consciousness slipped. When all three unconscious men were far enough from the collapsing catacombs for their safety, both Arthur and Merlin collapsed, smiles on their faces.

"We did it." Arthur said happily. "Are you're shields holding?"

"Mmhhmm." Merlin said, with a nod. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was about ready to fall asleep on top of Percival's unconscious form. "Although the person who was trying to break through it is gone. Hopefully that's a good sign."

"And Alvarr?" Arthur asked, not really sure he wanted to know.

"He didn't make it out." Merlin said. "I'm not sure what spell he used, and I'm not sure he really realized what it would do either. He was crushed under the debris."

Arthur nodded solemnly. "We should go see what's going on, and see if we can get some medical attention for these four. We probably shouldn't just nap here."

"You sure about that? 'Cause Percival is quite comfortable." Merlin replied, his eyes still closed.

"Come on, Merlin." Arthur said with a smile, standing up and hauling Merlin to his feet. Merlin groaned and squinted his eyes, looking a lot like he did when he just woke up except for the piles of dust and the bruises and blood coloring his skin. Arthur hadn't really thought about it, but if he was tired from what he had done, Merlin must have been dead on his feet. Magic always took its toll on the warlock, and what he had done today would definitely wear him out. Protecting him, Percival, Elyan, Gwaine, and Lancelot as well as the entire kingdom must have taken up more energy than he could even imagine.

Arthur squeezed his hand and tried to take some of his weight as they walked upwards, away from the three unconscious men. If Alvarr was taken care of, anyone coming after them would have to go through them, which would mean their friends would be safe until they could get help. The castle seemed calmer than it had when they had descended into the catacombs, which was definitely a good sign. The calm castle caused Arthur to let down his guard, focusing solely on Merlin as they passed through the empty corridors. He didn't notice the man sneaking up behind them until it was too late. The man went for Merlin first, knocking him out of Arthur's grip and onto the floor, giving Arthur a brief moment to try to fight back before something slammed against the back of his head, and he fell into darkness.


	32. Chapter 32: A New Age

Chapter Thirty-two: A New Age

Merlin woke to the slow, steady drip of water on his forehead. All efforts to shift away from the persistent drops were thwarted by some sort of bindings surrounding his arms and legs, keeping him in place. He tried to open his eyes to get a better idea of what was going on, but found that whoever had bound his arms and legs had also blindfolded him. Even his frustrated growl was cut off, as a cloth gag had been shoved none too carefully into his mouth, leaving him immobile, blind, and mute.

Momentarily resigning himself to his position, Merlin tried to reason out what had happened. He remembered defeating Alvarr and destroying the staff with Arthur, moving the unconscious bodies of his friends, leaning on Arthur on their way back to the throne room, and then nothing. So whoever had trussed him up and left him wherever he currently was must have knocked him out somewhere between the catacombs and the throne room. As Merlin thought about it, he realized there were two possibilities as to how he got down here. One, Cenred had a second spy inside of Camelot, and whoever that was had knocked him out as soon as they got the chance so his barriers would lower and the foreign king's army would be able to invade, or two, Uther had had one of his men watch him and wait until the battle was over to knock him out and attempt to restrain him. To be completely honest, Merlin wasn't sure which option he preferred.

But, no matter what had happened to get him stuck down here, Merlin had no plans of staying. Whoever had tossed him down here must have thought he needed to speak and see to use magic, hoping he would be powerless when restrained the way he was. That was a serious mistake on their part. Although words were often useful for the more complex spell, he had never needed them in order to use his magic. With anger at his current captors fuelling him, Merlin's eyes flashed gold and his bindings fell off, leaving him free to find out who had been stupid enough to think some chains and a few pieces of cloth would be enough to hold him.

* * *

Arthur, on the other hand, was woken by a loud knocking. He tried to ignore it for a moment before he suddenly recalled what had happened before he awoke in his old bed without Merlin. He shot upright, fear flooding him as he realized he had no idea what the conclusion of the battle was and what had been done to his friends. He also had no idea how he had gotten back into his bed or how long he had been unconscious. He jumped out of bed and began frantically searching for his sword when the door to his room swung open admitting two knights and a servant.

Much to Arthur's confusion, the servant began rushing around the room, pulling out some of Arthur's old clothing, while the knights exited his chambers. Eyeing the door suspiciously, Arthur made his way over to the young servant and grabbed him, placing a hand over his mouth to keep him from alerting the guards as he pulled him to the corner of the room furthest from the door.

"When I remove my hand, don't scream, and I swear I won't hurt you. Nod if you understand." Arthur ordered the young servant who was currently trembling in his arms. The poor boy couldn't have been much older than seven, and had probably been forced to look for work when his family couldn't pay all of Uther's new taxes. When the boy finally calmed down enough to nod, Arthur released him, smiling briefly before asking, "What happened during the battle? Do you know what the king has done with Emrys and his men?"

"I don't know what happened to Emrys or his men, but I can tell you about the battle." The boy replied, his expression serious as his wide, green eyes met Arthur's. "I was working in the infirmary with Gaius, fetching water and bandages, so I heard most of the news. Things were looking bad after the skeletons attacked. Many knights were injured and the king had barricaded the castle, preventing us from helping those who remained outside. All we could do was treat those who had made it in while we waited for the doors to be broken down and the castle to be overthrown. But, suddenly the sounds of battle ceased. After a minute of silence, there was a knocking at the door, and one of the knights shouted through the wood that the skeletons had all collapsed, and Cenred's men were retreating. One of the knights told me King Cenred must have thought he wouldn't have actually been forced to fight with the skeletons doing it for him, so when they failed he gave up, leaving Camelot safe. There are many injured and a few deaths, but there has been no news of Emrys since he left to defend the city."

Arthur tried not to panic as the boy told him all that had happened. He supposed no news was better than news of Merlin's death, but he still didn't like it. He tried his best to smile at the boy, although he was rather sure it turned out more of a grimace than anything encouraging, as he said, "Thank you for telling me this. Now, why have you been sent to my chambers?"

"I'm to prepare you for breakfast with the king."

Arthur felt his brow crease at this information. Was Uther trying to pretend that Arthur had never left? That everything could go back to the way it was before? Well, at least this would give Arthur a chance to talk to the king and find out what was going on. Taking a deep breath and trying his best to stay calm, Arthur said, "Alright. Let's get this over with then."

The boy nodded and went back to gathering the proper clothing for a meeting with the king while Arthur did what he could to help and tried to think of the best way to figure out what the hell was going on here.

It was rather obvious things had not completely gone back to normal during the incredibly tense walk down from his chambers to the throne room. The two knights that had been waiting outside of his chambers kept annoyingly close to him during the walk down to the throne room, flinching dramatically whenever Arthur stumbled or deviated from the path at all. He was still a prisoner, no matter what façade had been put up to try to make it look otherwise.

When he reached the throne room, Uther was already there. He looked up as Arthur entered, smiling and saying, "Ah, Arthur! I'm so glad to see you've finally woken."

Arthur watched Uther in confusion as he was guided to his seat. The king looked completely calm and unscathed from the battle last night as he smiled at Arthur, eating from an extravagant spread which included more food than Arthur had seen in months. But Arthur wasn't going to play along with Uther's charade of happiness. As soon as the knights had backed off Arthur asked, "Where is Merlin?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Arthur." Uther replied, not looking up from his breakfast.

"What have you done with Merlin?" Arthur yelled, jumping up and slamming his hands down on the table.

Uther glared up at him and was about to reply when there a loud bang as the doors blew open and a furious Merlin barged in, providing the answer to Arthur's question but supplying him with quite a few others as he shouted, "Merlin! Are you alright!" over Uther's order to restrain Merlin.

"The first person who touches me will be turned into a rat." Merlin threatened, stopping at the opposite end of the table from Uther. There was still a trail of blood on his forehead, and the dust that had coated him in the battle in the crypt had been joined by a layer of grime. The knights were watching him from a distance, looking too frightened of him to move forward but still too afraid of Uther to leave. Merlin turned from Uther to Arthur, smiling slightly as he asked, "You okay?"

Arthur nodded and smiled back, earning a slightly bigger smile before Merlin turned back to Uther and the fury returned. "Did you really think you could contain me? How stupid are you!"

"Shut your filthy mouth, you freak!" Uther replied, slowly rising from his seat, his eyes never leaving Merlin's. It was hard to tell who was angrier; Arthur could practically feel the heat radiating from their locked gaze. "You should be grateful I didn't have you killed when I had the chance!"

The slow, dark chuckle that came from Merlin's side of the table was possibly the most frightening noise Arthur had ever heard. "Oh yes, so grateful. I just risked my life to protect yours, and how do you repay me? Knocking me out and locking me in some filthy cell. Well, you know what, I'm done. I'm not going to sit back and watch as you run this kingdom into the ground. I'm going to give you a choice, Uther Pendragon. You can peacefully leave this kingdom today and never return, or you can try to fight me and spend the rest of your life locked in the cell I woke up in."

"You think you can threaten me, sorcerer, I am the King!" Uther shouted. "I'll have your head for this!"

"He's not a sorcerer!" Arthur said, tired of just sitting on the sidelines while his father insulted his love. "He's a warlock, and you'll never lay a hand on him again!"

Merlin smiled at him while Uther asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Magic wasn't a choice I made." Merlin replied, "I was born with it. Your law would have murdered me as a baby if you knew I existed. I've had to live my entire life afraid that you would find me and burn me like you did my parents. And I'm tired of it. I admit, magic can be used for evil. It can burn crops, destroy cities, and end lives. But last night all that stood between you and certain death was my magic. It can be a force for good just as easily as it can destroy. There are thousands of magic users in this kingdom who just want to live without fear. It's about time they got a chance to. So, make up your mind, Uther. Will you fight me and live as a prisoner when you are defeated, or walk away and live with the common people you surpressed?"

Uther didn't answer. Merlin rolled his eyes and turned to one of the knights, saying "While we wait for Uther to make up his mind, would you please tell me what has been done to my friends?"

"I can't. I will not go against the king's orders." The knight said, glancing nervously between Merlin and Uther. Merlin sighed and muttered, "He's not going to be king for much longer."

The knight just shook his head in response, causing Merlin to squeeze his eyes shut in frustration before he growled, "How about I rephrase that request. You can either tell me where my friends are right now, or I will turn you into a toad, understand?"

"I will not go against the orders of the king." The knight repeated.

"Fine." Merlin said, and his eyes glowed gold as he whispered, "_Brigid mann æt padde."_

Arthur was astonished as, with a puff of smoke, the knight vanished, replaced with a small frog surrounded by a mass of armor. Merlin had threatened many with animal transformation before, but this was the first time Arthur had seen him actually go through with the threat. Merlin met his concerned gaze and said "don't worry so much. He'll return to normal within an hour." Before turning to the next knight and saying, "So, would you like to join sir toad over there or will you tell me what has been done with my friends?"

"Your friends were moved from the stairs to the dungeons after you and the prince were dealt with." The knight answered quickly, eyeing the quietly croaking toad in the corner in fear.

Merlin glared at Uther again before turning back to the knight and saying, "Thank you for informing me of this. Now, if you would be so kind as to get them out and bring them here."

The scared knight nodded quickly and practically ran out of the room, obviously glad to be getting away from the angry warlock who had just turned one of his comrades into an amphibian. The moment the door closed, all attention returned to Merlin and Uther.

"So, have you made up your mind?" Merlin asked, retuning Uther's glare. As Arthur watched the king struggle with his next move, he realized something. If Merlin really carried out what he had threatened, Arthur would be king in a matter of minutes. There would be no more hiding in the woods, no more sneaking around and stealing, it was time for him to step up to the throne. Arthur took a deep breath, praying he was ready as he watched his father make his last decision as king. Uther's gaze fell to the floor as desperation colored his features. When he looked back up it was clear that he had chosen, as he turned to Merlin and said "I'll leave. Just give me enough money to survive and a horse."

Merlin smiled at Uther, something Arthur had never expected to see, before saying, "Of course. You can take as many of your things as you can carry on a horse. I'm not trying to humiliate you, I just want what is best for this kingdom."

It was quite clear Uther was not as happy about this decision as Merlin was as he slowly moved from his position at the head of the table towards the door. Arthur couldn't help but be suspicious as he watched Uther leave his position willingly, knowing that the man who had been his father would never give up his position without a fight. Merlin was still much too trusting, and Arthur really wished he had his sword.

His instincts about Uther were right. The second he reached Merlin's side, Uther whipped out his sword and swung it towards Merlin, shouting "I am what's best for this kingdom!" Arthur was wrong about Merlin though. He clearly hadn't trusted Uther nearly as Arthur thought he had. The former king's sword flew across the room before it even got within a foot of Merlin, while Uther went flying in the opposite direction. He froze a foot away from the wall, arms spread eagle, completely frozen. The smile was gone from Merlin's face as he walked over to where Uther had landed.

"This kingdom is dying, and you haven't even realized it. You definitely are not what is best for this kingdom. Now, get out, or I'll get some of your knights to drag you out of here." Merlin ordered.

"My knights will never listen to you, boy. I am their king." Uther growled in response, before he was dropped to the ground. Even though he was probably one-third the size of the king, while he stood tall over the collapsed king it was clear who had the power. The slow, dark chuckle returned as Merlin turned to the three remaining human knights in the room and said, "So, is the former king right? Or will you three help me fix this kingdom by escorting Uther to his chambers and then out of this kingdom?"

The three armored men exchanged looks and a few words before they all turned and bowed to Merlin. Merlin looked incredibly uncomfortable as the three men honored him, his cheeks going slightly red as he moved to the side to allow them to haul the struggling ex-monarch out of the throne room, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone with the toad who used to be a knight. As soon as the door closed once again Arthur ran over to Merlin and pulled him into a hug.

"You're king, Arthur." Merlin whispered. "What's going to be your first move as king of Camelot?"

"Well, first we need to get you cleaned up, then, I think I'll repeal the ban on magic. How does that sound to you?"

"I love you, King Arthur." Merlin replied, before grabbing Arthur and pulling him into a kiss. Arthur stumbled backwards dragging Merlin with him until he hit the empty throne, falling backwards into the seat that was now rightfully his, Merlin falling on top of him, their lips still connected. He swore he heard Merlin growl when the doors opened again and they were force to part. No matter how much Arthur wanted to spend a day alone with Merlin, he was king now and he needed to take his duties seriously if he wanted to do a better job than his father had. The knight who Merlin had sent to bring their friends to them had returned, leading Percival, Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan, and Leon into the throne room as well. It was clear from the slight blush on Leon's face and the smirk on Gwaine's that they had been caught kissing and soon would be in for a torrent of teasing. Arthur glared at him while Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine ran over to embrace Merlin and check him over for injuries, Merlin doing the same to them. As soon as the four friends had deemed each other sufficiently whole, they pulled apart and Leon asked, "What happened?"

"Arthur's king!" Merlin shouted before Arthur could explain what had actually happened. Technically he wasn't king yet. He still had to be sworn in and receive the crown, but he supposed he couldn't deny Merlin this celebration. The reaction this statement got wasn't exactly what Arthur had expected as all of the men he thought of as his only true friends turned to him and bowed. He hoped he could live up to what these men expected from him as he said, "Please don't. I'm going to get enough of that over the next couple days, I don't want it from you too. I want to make all of you my personal council, I'm going to need all of your help if we want to fix this kingdom."

"Don't worry, Arthur." Lancelot said with a smile. "We're not going anywhere."

"Whatever you need, Sire." Leon said with a slight dip of his head.

"It would be our honor." Percival said, with a smile.

"Thank you." Arthur replied. "There is so much that needs to be done. First, we need to make this official. Let the people know things are going to change. Geoffrey of Monmouth will need to swear me in as soon as possible, but we also need to deal with the destruction caused by the battle with the skeletons. Any formal celebrations and declarations will need to wait until we make the necessary repairs and bury all those who fell in the battle. Leon, I want you to gather as many knights and council members as you can find in the rooms currently being used as an infirmary. Once we have as many people there as we can we will announce the change in rule and start discussing what the best next steps are."

"And what should I say happened to Uther?" Leon asked, looking around the room as if he expected to see the body of the former king.

"Uther has been banished from the kingdom for the atrocities he committed during his reign. He has been given time to gather some of his belonging before he is escorted out of the country. Any knights or council members who wish to leave with him should feel free to do the same." Arthur stated, earning surprised looks from Leon, Elyan, and the knight who had brought them in.

"So, he isn't dead?" Leon asked, "Are you sure it is wise to let him go?"

To be honest, Arthur wasn't sure. He was glad he hadn't been forced to kill his father, and was even happier that he wouldn't have to spend the rest of his days living in a castle while his father dwelt in a cell underneath him, but part of him knew that letting Uther go could quite possibly lead to trouble in the future. A reassuring nod from Merlin gave him the clarity he needed to state, "I don't want my first act as king to be murder. His exile will show the people that I can show mercy, and will prove that I am not my father. People will be judged fairly in the future. Uther may have done truly terrible things, but he was also the king of Camelot for over thirty years. He was not always the tyrant of recent years, and many will remember this. By not killing him I will have given his supporters hope for their own lives in this new regime, and proof to those who did not support him that I will not be as susceptible to hatred as he was."

Arthur glanced back at Merlin when he was finished, glad to see that the warlock was still smiling proudly at him. Leon also seemed to accept the explanation as he nodded before rushing out of the room to carry out his orders. When the door closed again Arthur said, "We should all get down to Gaius. I'm guessing Uther didn't treat any of you much better than Merlin. You all should get your injuries checked out."

"Awe, there's nothing a good tankard of mead couldn't fix!" Gwaine said playfully, pulling Arthur into a headlock. "Besides, I think we need to celebrate! First rounds on the new king!"

Arthur pulled away before Gwaine could get him to the door and said, "No. You are all going to see Gaius. And then we have to get to work. This kingdom needs a lot of fixing, and it starts today. The celebrations will come, but first we have work to do."

* * *

The next few weeks were difficult. There were so many things to do, so many things that needed fixing. Arthur had been formally crowned king the day after Uther left, causing quite a bit of anger with the people who still supported Uther, which, luckily, was a very small group. Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, and Elyan had been knighted that day as well, Leon promoted to head knight, and Merlin officially named advisor to the king, although most already had realized that he was much more than that to Arthur. The biggest and most pressing issues were those caused by the brief war, but with Merlin's magic and the help of some outcasts who had returned the repairs went quickly. There was also the mourning that had to be done for those who had perished in the fight, which, although a smaller number than it could have been, was still a somber event. Arthur did his best to handle the process with grace, trying to help the families of the dead while still working to fix all the other problems Uther had left.

The most pressing issues were, of course, rewriting all the laws about magic and lowering all the taxes. Merlin had taken charge of the magic issue, as he knew much more about what the limits of magic should be and how to monitor it. The taxes had to be carefully discussed with the council members as well as the citizens in a series of town hall meetings Arthur had organized the week following his coronation. The stores of gold Uther had horded in different areas of the castle would be more than enough to repay some of those hit the hardest while maintaining the payment for the servants, knights, and other castle staff during the process of deliberations, but soon that would run dry if the people did not continue to support the kingdom. Still, the amount of money Uther had required would not be necessary any longer, and a fair amount would soon be established.

As these changes took place Arthur couldn't help but notice that the people of Camelot seemed happier than they had in years. Things were changing for the better. Of course there was still much to do, but Gwaine had convinced the rest of them that it was high time to celebrate. The kitchen staff had outdone themselves, preparing food Merlin swore was the best he had ever tasted. As Arthur looked around at all his friends sitting around him at the high table and realized how far they had come, an overwhelming sense of pride filled him. This was their kingdom, their time. The beginning of a new age.

**AN: At the bottom cause we're done! This story is over! Wow, that only took ten months... **

**But it was a fabulous ten months. I loved the response I got for this story and I had a blast writing it. I hope you guys had as much fun reading! **

**I am sorry this took so long. You lot have been incredibly patient and supportive as I struggled through school life and personal issues, neglecting to write so often. I could go on thanking you all for probably another 120,000 words, but then this fic would take even longer to finish and no one wants that :)**

**So, it has been quite the journey for me. Never would I have believed I would ever write a story longer than Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, but here it is! I guess what I'm trying to say is, if I can do this so can you if you want to. Writing is really fun, and never something I thought I would enjoy (and still something I doubt I'm any good at), so any of you with plot bunnies bouncing around in your head, go for it! Try it out! let me know how it goes!**

**And, one final, rather petty remark. This fic is two reviews away from 200. I know you lot can get it over that boundary, but I just wanted to encourage you to do it hear by reminding you how much it would mean to me. 198 is awesome, but 200 hundred is totally awesome.**

**That's it! Check my profile page for what I'm doing next and thank you so much for reading!**

**hearts,**

**J3swimmer :)**


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